


forte

by roseticos



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Explicit Language, M/M, Polyamory, camp counselor!jeonghan, camp counselor!joshua, camp counselor!minghao, don't ask me where this takes place, svt campers are all 16-18 except for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-05-02
Packaged: 2020-05-20 10:47:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19375180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseticos/pseuds/roseticos
Summary: // awaiting edits before update [4/4]Meeting Soonyoung and Mingyu was a miracle in itself. Now, he just wants to make the most of his summer with them until it's over, and he needs to find a way to express how he feels in the way he knows best: through song.(jihoon realizes his act sucks and asks the professionals— mingyu and soonyoung— for help.)





	1. boys will be bugs (day one)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **originally published:** june 26, 2019  
>  **re-published with minor edits:** february 17, 2020

Jihoon feared the day his parents would finally get rid of him for the summer, if only to have a little time for themselves. And the year has come— but he didn’t expect them to spend so much money to make it happen. 

 

The thing is: Jihoon likes music. A lot. Like, _I haven’t slept in 48 hours but I wrote this sweet song_ kind of a lot. His parents know this and in fact have encouraged it in him since he could hold an instrument. 

 

He’s taken piano lessons for as long as he can remember, but he thinks that’s just his parents being his parents since he never asked for them. He picked up basic guitar and ukulele while he was at it, something he he truly did enjoy.

 

The chorus teachers have always loved him, too, and he started singing in primary school. They called him a prodigy, sometimes, said he could be a wonder if he worked at it.

 

By now, music is kind of his thing. He takes a music theory class and carries a notebook with him to write lyrics. That’s how people know him: the music kid. He’s okay with that since it has never been a problem and he gets to do what he loves. 

 

Jihoon’s parents have wanted to drop him off at a summer camp for years, and his constant pleading about his anxiety and wanting to stay was the only thing that kept him at home. But this year, with a camp like this and his unbudging parentals, there wasn’t much of a choice.

 

The thing is: it’s a music camp _—_ but not just _any_ music camp. It’s _the_ music camp. The one everyone wants to go to if they want to improve and gain recognition. Two and a half months of clinicians, showcases, and projects, all within a beautiful campground, limited to around one hundred older highschoolers chosen through submitted auditions. (Don’t worry, it’s only a couple of thousands of dollars.)

 

You could say it’s kind of a big deal. 

 

Jihoon _literally_ screamed when he received his admission confirmation, loud enough for the neighbors to hear and come by to ask if they needed to call someone. He has no idea how two crappily recorded covers of _Corduroy Dreams_ and _Boys Will Be Bugs_ on his ukulele and a one-minute outtake of a Korean ballad he sings in the shower got him accepted, but— is he really going to complain?

 

The first thing he did was call Seungcheol, an aspiring rapper and his best friend of around eighteen years (also known as his entire life). He also applied, and also got in, and they screamed together before getting Junhui on the call too. Junhui, a dancer and Jihoon’s second best friend of about six months, screamed with them both because _he got in too._

 

About a month later, his parents dump him in front of the drop off spot with his suitcase, wishing him a happy summer and to call them if he needs anything and that they won’t really miss him. 

 

That brings him to now as he shakes from his nerves, rolling his suitcase and clutching his little pillow with anxious hands. His ukelele is slung over his shoulder, the painted case gaining more peoples’ attention than he would like. A lot of the other students around him chat with each other, but no one approaches him, and he’s honestly fine with that. 

 

Seungcheol has yet to show himself, but knowing him, he’s probably making friends without him. Junhui could be anywhere and appear at any second, which unnerves him the most about this situation. He does it without realizing and always scares jihoon with how elusive he is.

 

“‘Hoonie!”

 

_Speak of the Devil._

 

Jihoon instinctively cringes as a tall, heavy force collides into his side, crushing him in a hug and causing him to trip over his suitcase. Cursing obscenely, Jihoon yells at Junhui to mind the instrument and shoves him away. 

 

Junhui is all limbs and stupid smiles, brown hair brushed back so everyone can see that pretty face of his. There’s a reason he wins all of his dance competitions, and it’s because he’s the best, but that will never stop his charm from being an advantage.

 

Off of the stage, Jun is a sweet kind of dumb. He’s incredibly smart and crushes Jihoon in anything academic; he’s just incredibly sensitive and perceptive to other people’s feelings. He’s really good at telling Jihoon things about himself that even he hasn’t figured out yet. At the same time, he’s endearing and always zones out and makes cute noises and pokes Jihoon who really doesn’t mind at all.

 

“Jihoon, aren’t you glad to see me?” Junhui prods, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. 

 

“If by ‘happy’ you mean ‘irritated’ I’m _ecstatic_.” Of course, there’s no real bite to his words. There never has been. Jun knows this and takes it in stride. 

 

“Can you even believe we’re here?” Junhui grins. “I’ve wanted to come to this camp since I was little.”

 

Jihoon can’t. It’s surreal. He heard of the program a long time ago but never thought of it as something he could do; not because of money, but because of his capability. Kids all over the country submitted auditions, kids who have teachers and are vocally trained. But Jihoon, the choir kid with a ukulele, made it.

 

Junhui has been involved with competition dance since primary school and plays the piano. Seungcheol writes his own lyrics and practices hours on end, producing his own music. Jihoon just likes to sing. 

 

But he’s not going to complain. If this place can help him grow further than he already has, then he’ll take it. 

 

Jihoon chuckles, “It’s unbelievable, really. Shit— I’m terrified.”

 

“Not allowed!” the other immediately protests. “You have the voice of an _angel._ Except, you’re not really an angel, so more like— _uhm_ —”

 

“Angel works.”

 

“Ah, it doesn’t.”

 

As the taller pats his soft pink hair, Jihoon glares at Junhui’s tennis shoes. Maybe he’s right, and not just about the angel part. Maybe his voice is really good enough for this. 

 

He’s here, isn’t he?

 

The buses arrive without either Jun or Jihoon seeing Seungcheol. The counselors come out and they’re wearing _matching pink shirts_ that really should be added to the bonfire, but they start organizing everyone before Jihoon can deliver his vicious commentary on their attire. 

 

With two to a seat and Seungcheol nowhere in sight, Junhui clings to Jihoon’s arm and they become busmates. For the lengthy ride, Jihoon brings on his pillow and ukulele.

 

The ukulele is more of a security thing, but his pillow is not only precious to him but also holding his necessities in the case. That means most of the ride is spent asleep with his headphones in, instrument tucked between his knees and lyrics notebook in his lap. 

 

Jun shakes him awake when they arrive. The ride is less smooth and Jihoon can see why based on where they are— or, rather, where they _aren’t_.

 

The campground is remote, although Jihoon never bothered to see how close they are to a town. At the least, there manages to be minimal cell service, enough to call his parents should something arise. 

 

Before they arrive at the drop off there’s nothing but trees, glimpses of a lake and a mountainside in between. Suddenly the first thing he wants to do is swim. He packed a pair of swimming trunks, right?

 

But soon the buses stop and they’re tossed into the heat of summer again. Jihoon’s skin itches from the temperature and he feels gross all over. It doesn’t help that he’ll feel like this for the next two months, but he’s trying to not think about that. Left to pull at his t-shirt, he only hopes that cabin arrangements will be quick. 

 

Somewhere along the way, Jun goes missing. Trying to draw as little attention to himself as possible, Jihoon grabs his suitcase from the bus compartment and moves with the crowd towards registration tables. 

 

So far, he feels really alone, and it’s scary. People are looking at him, his cursed pink hair that stands out and his pastel clothing and painted instrument case. He set himself up for this. 

 

Fuck.

 

Registration is efficient enough and soon Jihoon is standing outside of the dining hall with a map of the campground, hoping the path to the cabins is paved. 

 

He rolls his suitcase through a small parking lot until he reaches the first cabin just off a gravel trail. Jihoon sighs and picks up his bag. He’s not weak or anything, just lazy.

 

The gravel trail goes up a nasty hill, another thing that Jihoon pettily despises. According to the map, there are twenty-five cabins, including counselor cabins. 

 

They’re all spaced apart fairly well, many tucked behind a row of trees and into the forest, little paths leading to the front porches. The assigned numbered sign is at the front of each entrance path. From a distance, they seem rather spacious. It’s good that they’re not cramped. 

 

Unfortunately, Jihoon’s cabin assignment is that of number thirteen. He’s going to take that as a bad omen.

 

Before he knows it, he’s standing in front of the cabin door with his suitcase, hand hovering over the doorknob as he listens worriedly to the commotion from inside. 

 

Four other boys are assigned to this cabin, and from the sound of it, all of them have already arrived. Loud laughter seeps from the walls, remnants of a joke Jihoon didn’t get to hear.

 

He yanks open the door, stumbling inside with his things. There’s a kitchenette and a large table next to his left, and a larger living space to his right.

 

Across from the kitchen is the bedroom with two bunk beds, neither of which have been settled yet. The living room is a large, long space with a high ceiling and a wall made of windows, probably useful for large group camps that would need the space. There are two couches in the corner where not only is the rest of his roommates’ things but his roommates themselves.

 

Seungcheol has sprawled himself over Junhui’s legs without a care in the world. He looks better than when Jihoon saw him last which was finals week. A grim time. His shirt is almost as sickeningly pink as that of the counselors, but it’s more pastel and it _works_ for some reason.

 

Across from them on the second couch, a tall boy with thin-framed glasses sits with his things. Even though it’s summer, he’s still wearing long sleeves underneath his t-shirt. He’s laughing at whatever Seungcheol said just now, and when he laughs his eyes squeeze shut and his nose scrunches in a way Jihoon knows Seungcheol finds cute.

 

Behind him is another one, dressed in a _loud_ sweatshirt and yellow beanie. In response to the joke, he throws his whole body towards the other stranger. Everything about him seems carefree; his laugh, his smile, his style. Jihoon likes him already.

 

Jihoon stands, looking between them until someone notices him. Seungcheol is the first, cursing from surprise and rolling off the couch in excitement. Junhui winces but brightens when he sees that he’s here.

 

“Hey! Jihoon!” Seungcheol pounces on Jihoon despite the warning about the instrument on his back, but Jihoon’s happy enough to see him that it doesn’t bother him. He actually hugs him back.

 

There isn’t a moment in Jihoon’s life when he _didn’t_ know who Seungcheol was. Their parents are close friends, so it only makes sense for them to have known each other since they were in diapers. They’re like brothers but born two months apart to two different families.

 

Junhui knows this and chooses to whine anyway, “How come I didn’t get a hug?”

 

“‘Cause you’re fucking annoy—”

 

“ _Langua_ —”

 

“Haha, we love you Junnie!”

 

Once the group settles down, Jihoon meets the others in his cabin. The one with glasses humbly introduces himself as Jeon Wonwoo, resident nerd. When asked a moment later what he’s here for, he surprisingly answers with the rapping program.

 

The other one introduces himself as Vernon Chwe, not Choi; he’s also a rapper. “Nice hair,” he says, and Jihoon probably blushes when he thanks him for the compliment. 

 

Sadly, there are no other singers in the cabin, which means that Jihoon won’t know anyone when going into activities. So that’s… fun. At least his cabin is cool.

 

“So,” Jihoon starts with a smile. “I’d love to take a nap before dinner, so should we settle beds?”

 

“Ah, yeah, that’s the problem,” Seungcheol says, immediately slipping into a leadership position. “There are four beds and the couches. But, there are five of us. I tried looking for some cots in the closet but it wasn’t very productive. Someone has to sleep on the couch.”

 

Jun grimaces, “For two months? Gross.”

 

“If none of us want to sleep on the couch, someone’s going to have to share a bed,” Wonwoo observes.

 

Now, Jihoon has been on enough school retreats to know that teenage boys— especially the straight ones— will _never_ share a bed with another guy. He once had a roommate who slept on the floor before he slept next to Jihoon, so it’s bold of Wonwoo to suggest that. _Unless—_

 

Immature, Seungcheol snickers. “That’s gay.”

 

But there’s not a lot of laughter that goes around and no one is surprised when Junhui takes a poll of the cabin. “Wait, how many of us are actually gay?”

 

Seungcheol quickly raises his hand, Junhui following. Seeing them, Wonwoo reluctantly raises his as well.

 

_Fuck it,_ Jihoon decides, “I’m bi, but like— mostly gay.”

 

Everyone turns to Vernon, who shakes his head. “I don’t know, man.”

 

“Who are you into?” Wonwoo asks earnestly.

 

“Anyone who will take me,” Vernon deadpans. Seungcheol snorts. 

 

“Mood,” Jihoon agrees, trying to restrain his bits of laughter. This is going well, better than he hoped, and it feels nice. He really doesn’t mind sharing a cabin with these losers for the summer; it doesn’t feel so lonely. 

 

In the end, Seungcheol is the one to sling his arm around Jihoon and announce that they’ll be sharing a bottom bunk together, citing that “I’ve known this kid since before I could talk, so it’s fine,” before dragging him off to put their stuff away. 

 

The others duke it out without many problems. Vernon gets the bed above Jihoon’s, Wonwoo on the bottom across from them and Junhui on the top. 

 

Jihoon is the first to find the bathroom with two showers and a counter of sinks, so he’s also the first to claim a sink (the middle one, of course).

 

And then Jihoon takes a nap. 

 

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

 

Dinner is called rather late, around seven o’clock. Seungcheol wakes him half an hour early, ruffling his short hair and worsening his bedhead. It takes another fifteen minutes for everyone to get ready again and for Jihoon to wake up completely.

 

After slipping on their shoes, cabin thirteen joins the mass of other campers headed towards the hall. Jihoon forces Junhui to carry him on his back down the hill, but the dancer makes him get down once they reach the parking lot. They go past the parking lot and further on to the hall. 

 

Before the food is served, everyone has to sit at the long tables and listen to orientation. Cabin thirteen sits with each other, along with a few other guys at the edge of their group that start chatting with Wonwoo and Vernon. Sandwiched between his friends, Jihoon doesn’t get to meet them before a counselor gets on the stage at one end of the hall with a microphone. 

 

She doesn’t introduce herself but congratulates them on their acceptance. “Your presence here is no small achievement,” she says. “There’s a lot of talent in this room.” 

 

And of course, everyone applauds when she finishes talking about the prestige and how lucky and talented they are. Jihoon claps along despite the little knot in his stomach. 

 

“Dinner will be served shortly, but I’d like to go over a few things first. To start— after dinner, no one is to leave the hall until the room is clean. Don’t make a mess you can’t clean. This _will_ be enforced. You’re not kids— act like it. _Second—_ curfews are sundown, and the only exception is night activities. Everyone is to be in the cabin area after dark for safety. Quiet time in the cabins is officially ten o’clock. No one is to leave their cabin after midnight unless looking for one of us…”

 

She goes on about a few other rules— swim at your own risk, office locations, etc. And then she gets into activities, how they’ll be announced every morning for each class and weekly printouts will be available to take. During their free time, other optional camp things will take place— things like fishing, archery, and knot tying.

 

She also mentions that the first night activity of the summer will be in the dining hall, a kind of meet-and-greet for everyone to get to know each other. They’ll have extra lemonade and cookies, which peaks a lot of interest, along with plenty of music. It sounds like a party Jihoon will be persuaded to stay for. 

 

“Tomorrow morning is very special, too! Breakfast is served from six-thirty to eight, and afterward, we’ll have a premiere showcase for the summer for individual acts!” The dining hall erupts into cheers. “It’s not required, signups are after dinner!“

 

They’ll want to hear his voice. Jihoon’s blood runs cold _._

 

She finally lets them eat and for dinner, they all have chicken wraps and lemonade.

 

Seungcheol sits on Jihoon’s right and Wonwoo on his left. Wonwoo is actually really tall and Jihoon feels tiny next to his new friends. Even the ones he hasn’t met yet sitting across from him are tall and it’s disgusting. 

 

To avoid talking, Jihoon shoves a chicken wrap in his mouth and sulks, feeling weird all over. Even with Seungcheol and Wonwoo, two people he likes, he’s _nervous_.

 

It’s nothing new and he realizes that, but there’s a lot going on so his hands start fidgeting and his leg bounces and he refuses to make eye contact with the boy sitting across from him. It’s the anxiety he gets when he meets new people which he doesn’t like doing unless it’s necessary.

 

Like a good friend, Seungcheol can tell that Jihoon’s struggling a bit and places a hand on his knee. The singer holds it whenever his hand is free because Seungcheol’s is rather comforting to squeeze. 

 

Wonwoo is talking with the guy across from him about the showcase. Apparently, he’s here for the rapping program too, and he wants to perform his audition song in the morning. And that’s fine until Wonwoo nudges Jihoon.

 

“Are you going to do something tomorrow, ‘Hoonie?” he asks.

 

Jihoon serves himself another piece of chicken and takes a sip of lemonade. “Don’t call me ‘Hoonie,” he says passively. “And I don’t know yet.” _Hopefully not._

 

Wonwoo’s friend speaks up, “Maybe you should.”

 

He wouldn’t have known that that’s not the best thing for him to say, but it grates on Jihoon nonetheless. Maybe he’s a little angrier when he’s scared. Maybe that explains why his jaw clenches and his grip on Seungcheol’s hand tightens to the point where he’s hissing through his teeth. 

 

He doesn’t _want_ to do anything, but he knows Jun or Seungcheol will sign him up for it anyway, and that’s for them to do and not this tall little shit in front of him. Jihoon doesn’t _want_ to do anything, not really— but how dare anyone but his closest friends suggest otherwise?

 

Just as Jihoon opens his mouth to say something damaging, Seungcheol cuts in, fighting through the pain currently crushing his fingers. “Ah, M-Mingyu, don’t push him. Stage jitters a-and all—”

 

It turns out Wonwoo is a good person because he quickly catches on. “It’s fine if you don’t, I’m just curious.”

 

“It’s fine,” Jihoon assures him, genuinely unconcerned with Wonwoo. He’s a good friend. Unfortunately, his tone towards ‘Mingyu’ is bitter. “You didn’t say anything wrong.” 

 

Seungcheol laughs too loudly. 

 

Mingyu stares at Jihoon, confused and evidently a little hurt, but Jihoon’s not in the best state of mind to give him a lot of sympathy.

 

He’s got a pretty face— soft angles and a square jaw. It’s the kind that belongs in a magazine. Jihoon can admit that Mingyu is kind of cute, and he isn’t happy about it.

 

Even though Mingyu is confused, Wonwoo and Seungcheol desperately veer the conversation away from the showcase. Seungcheol even gets up to bring the pink haired singer another cup of lemonade. Everything goes fine for the rest of dinner.

 

Jihoon shoves another chicken wrap in his mouth out of spite.

 

 

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

 

This feels reminiscent of Jihoon’s first homecoming dance.

 

The disco lights, colorful patterns against the dark walls of the dining hall; the loud music, a thumping baseline and a rowdy crowd inducing a minor headache; the snack table, laden with cookies. everything is similar to the school gym back in freshman year when Jihoon went to the homecoming dance for the first and last time in high school. 

 

There was a pretty girl who had a crush on him and asked him out, so he took her to the dance. She was nice, genuine, and they had fun at the dance, but as tiny teenagers, it was all weird to Jihoon. He knew it was just a dance. 

 

It looks and feels and sounds like that dance, except there’s no pretty girl holding onto his arm, and there are a lot more good dancers in the crowd. 

 

The “meet-and-greet” started off slowly, but it picked up into a pleasant party. In the middle of the room, a large crowd dances to the music, singing with the words and laughing at one another. 

 

Junhui is surely among them. He tried to pull Jihoon into dancing, but he isn’t up for that tonight.

 

In fact, all of his cabin-mates disappeared in one way or another. He didn’t miss the tint in Seungcheol’s cheeks when he said he was going to talk with Wonwoo at the snack table. Jihoon… isn’t really sure where Vernon is.

 

Away from the chaos, Jihoon stands alone near the others lingering by the wall with their friends. He’s not having a terrible time, actually. When he doesn’t feel very _in the moment_ , standing to the side is enjoyable. Besides, he needed time to cool off.

 

It’s really not so bad. 

 

He grows tired as time goes on, though. Not wanting to take any of his cabin-mates away from the party, he drifts closer to the commotion in hopes that it might wake him up some more.

 

It doesn’t help much, at first, but that changes when a larger figure plows into him on accident, a tangled mess of flying limbs. 

 

Although Jihoon can’t bring himself to be mad, he shoves the boy off nonetheless. Instead of ignoring him and walking away, the stranger turns around and apologizes profusely.

 

That’s when they get a good look at each other.

 

He stands a few inches taller than him, around Seungcheol’s height. The stranger has bleached blond hair, squishable cheeks, and bright eyes. He’s  _pretty._

 

It only takes one glance at Jihoon’s pink hair and small frame for his face to light up. “Oh my _God_ , you’re so _tiny_ !” he coos over the music, shameless. “Are you even sixteen— _cute._ ”

 

The stranger pounces on him, squeezing him as if he’s an adorable plushie. “What are you doing just standing here?” 

 

“Hey! Get off of me! I don’t want to dance! And I’m not a baby, I’m _eighteen_!”

 

He lets go but immediately pouts at him. It’s cute. _Fuck,_ it’s really cute. “Same! Well, almost. But you should dance, it’s fun! It’ll take your mind off things, won’t it?”

 

“I doubt it,” Jihoon grimaces. “I might as well just leave.”

 

He punches his shoulder lightly. Jihoon rubs the spot. “Well, why don’t you?”

 

“My friends are here. And… my cabin is far.”

 

“Tell me about!” he grins. He sticks out his hand, “Kwon Soonyoung, dancer, cabin seventeen. You?”

 

“Uhm…” Jihoon takes his hand, shaking it slightly. “Lee Jihoon, singer, cabin thirteen. Nice to meet you?”

 

“Why the question?” Soonyoung ruffles his hair as if he’s five. “I’m always nice to meet!”

 

Jihoon barely realizes it when he laughs at Soonyoung, and that’s when he decides that he should really stop meeting cute people. It’s dangerous for his heart, which is now beating faster than before because— even if he’s known him for two minutes— Soonyoung is acting like an _angel_ and it’s not _fair_.

 

Soonyoung looks at him adoringly, but the moment passes when a hand other than Jihoon’s encircles the blond’s wrist and begins to pull him away. Someone different is smiling at him, telling him to _Come on before the last cookies are gone!_

 

“See you later, Jihoon!” Soonyoung laughs, quick and bright, before disappearing, waving at him. 

 

Jihoon can’t breathe in the best way possible. 

 

_What the fuck just happened?_

 

Stuck in an elated kind of shock, Jihoon meanders away from the crowd and to the sides. In doing so, he finds a door leading to a balcony. 

 

There’s only one person outside, and Jihoon closes the door quietly. It’s a lot cooler at night, and it’s relieving to get some fresh air. 

 

He releases a content sigh, thinking of Soonyoung, wondering if it’s going well for Seungcheol. Maybe he should have gotten more lemonade before he came out?

 

The person leaning over the balcony turns around and Jihoon really shouldn’t be surprised to see that it’s Mingyu. 

 

“ _Oh_.” 

 

He said that out loud, didn’t he?

 

“Oh, I’m sorry for bothering you, I thought it was empty out here…”  In truth, Jihoon didn’t even know this place existed until now, but it’s not like Mingyu knows that. 

 

“It’s fine,” Mingyu assures him. He’s acting nice, even after Jihoon was rude to him. What’s with him? 

 

Turns out Mingyu isn’t just tall but at least _six feet_ tall and— just like before— it’s absolutely disgusting. His smile is grossly cute too, how he has no problems forgiving him. Jihoon wants to scowl, but he’s not really angry.

 

“What’s your name again?” Mingyu asks.

 

Jihoon’s getting tired of all the introductions, but he holds out his hand like Soonyoung did, “Lee Jihoon, singer, cabin thirteen.” 

 

Taken aback, Mingyu tilts his head. Nevertheless, he shakes his hand. “Kim Mingyu, rapper, cabin seventeen.”

 

Of course they’re from the same cabin, of _course._ All the annoyingly pretty boys have to come from cabin seventeen. 

 

“It’s nice to meet you,” the taller adds, expecting a similar reply.

 

But Jihoon is petty and spiteful. “Yeah.”

 

“Listen, I know we _apparently_ got off on the wrong foot, but I know we can be friends.”

 

Even if Jihoon doesn’t say anything, he moves closer to the balcony and closer to Mingyu. It’s dark outside and the stars are really visible out here, but he doesn’t watch them for long and instead notices the field behind the dining hall, framed by a line of trees. 

 

Jihoon doesn’t want to agree with Mingyu, but a part of him doesn’t want to apologize either, so he just stands there, feeling unrightfully small next to him. 

 

They stay like that long enough for the song to change from inside. Jihoon wishes he brought some lemonade out.

 

Then Seungcheol opens the back door. “Jihoon! There you are! Come on, the cabin’s assembling to leave.”

 

Jihoon tries to apologize, looking at Mingyu but not quite in his eyes, “I have to go—“

 

But Seungcheol grabs his arm and pulls him inside before he can say goodbye.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **songs mentioned:** [corduroy dreams](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSl7I8ue400)  
> [boys will be bugs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRiKpiHG8jI)


	2. our summer (day two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “He says I look like a kid, Cheol. He calls me cute, but everyone calls me cute. He doesn’t like me or anything and I don’t like him either!”
> 
> “Two weeks,” Junhui mutters in Seungcheol’s direction.
> 
> “One,” he offers back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another long chapter yay!!
> 
> **originally published:** July 9, 2019  
>  **re-published with major edits:** March 27, 2020 (added sentences/paragraphs but no plot changes)

Jihoon wakes up the next morning half an hour earlier than his alarm with his face smushed against Seungcheol’s chest. He pulls away, looking for fresh air, only to have to move his friend’s arm from where it had fallen over him. 

 

Sitting up slowly, Jihoon sees that the sun hasn’t risen, meaning that it really is too early to wake up. But he doesn’t feel like going back to sleep, so he finds a way to slip out of bed without aggravating Seungcheol. 

 

Three of his roommates must be incredibly heavy sleepers, so it’s Wonwoo who shifts, reaching for his glasses beside his bed with a restrained groan. 

 

Jihoon only hopes that he doesn’t pay him any attention and continues to look for an outfit to wear. 

 

“What are you doing?” comes Wonwoo’s gentle whisper, intentional in leaving out a name because his eyes are too unfocused to tell who is up. 

 

“Seungcheol’s a hot sleeper,” Jihoon lies, just to have an excuse. Seungcheol is actually pretty great to sleep next to, as long as you don’t mind waking up mid-cuddle.

 

With a quiet _Oh,_ Wonwoo understands. Jihoon says it’s fine, he’s up anyway. “Go back to bed, Wonwoo”

 

But Wonwoo refuses to do what he’s told and yawns. “What time is it?” he whispers.

 

“Early.”

 

This prompts Jihoon to fiddle for his phone seeing as Wonwoo would have little luck in checking without glasses.

 

“Five-thirty.”

 

Wonwoo groans softly and rolls over, deciding it’s a little _too_ early. He watches Jihoon leave the bedroom, already drifting off again. 

 

To wake himself up, Jihoon takes a cold shower and gets ready for the day. He slips on a pale yellow t-shirt with little plants on the breast pocket and a pair of shorts. Drying his hair with a towel, he tries to rearrange it neatly, parting it. 

 

Twenty minutes after Jihoon first woke up, Wonwoo walks into the bathroom to find him mid teeth-brush.

 

The rapper brings his hand under his glasses to rub at his eyes, yawning like a kitten woken up from its nap. His nose does that scrunching thing again. Jihoon chuckles around his toothbrush. He can kind of understand the blush in Seungcheol’s cheeks.

 

When Seungcheol said _“That’s gay,”_ like he was some kind of immature straight guy, it was ironic. Seungcheol is quite possibly the gayest person Jihoon knows and it’s embarrassing.

 

On the way back to the cabin last night, he explained that he met Wonwoo on the bus and finds him to be not only a great friend but also— and he quotes— _“so adorable I could scream!”_ It solidified the obvious face that Seungcheol had a baby crush on Wonwoo.

 

And now that everyone in the cabin knows that everyone else is at least a little gay, Seungcheol actually has a chance— _and Wonwoo has no idea._  Jihoon has found him to be oblivious to Seungcheol's advances.

 

“It’s still ten minutes before six,” Jihoon is sure to point out, words obscured by his dumb toothbrush. 

 

“I know,” Wonwoo replies quickly. “But they’re so loud, and it’d be nice to get ready in peace.” He moves towards the sink on the end, the cleanest out everyone else’s. Wonwoo only has one bag of toiletries, packed carefully to make use of each pocket. 

 

Junhui’s sink next to his is scattered with all kinds of makeup bottles and skincare products added with his soap and toothbrush. Wonwoo has the same things, but less of them and all in one place.

 

As Wonwoo begins taking out things to clean his face, Jihoon furrows his eyebrows. “Aren’t you going to take a shower?” 

 

He shakes his head, “Took one last night after you and Seungcheol passed out.”

 

Humming at the unnecessary addition to the comment, Jihoon finishes brushing. He wraps up his routine, waiting awhile after for Wonwoo. 

 

Some time during that, six o’clock passed and the alarms in the bedroom went off, waking the last three members of the cabin. While the others get ready, Jihoon relaxes with his ukulele, humming mindless tunes under his breath to reassure himself that he actually remembers some songs.

 

Somehow, Seungcheol manages to round everyone up by six-thirty, and they all go to breakfast. Junhui tells Jihoon to bring his instrument without telling him why, although it’s not hard to guess. 

 

Jihoon never signed up for the showcase last night, but he didn’t need to. He knew one of his friends might do it anyway, but he trusted them to at least give him a heads up. Because of Junhui and Seungcheol, he never assumes he gets out of anything anymore.

 

And it’s a good thing, too— when Jihoon scans the list posted on the dining hall’s cork board, his name is right in the middle. 

 

No one else in his cabin is signed up, but Jihoon does notice some familiar names: _Soonyoung_ and _Mingyu._

 

Breakfast is already being served. Most of Jihoon’s cabin is already ahead save for Wonwoo, who also stayed back to scan over the list. 

 

Jihoon shoves his ukulele under his arm, anticipating the warm food waiting for him. He’s just looking around Wonwoo to see how much longer it will take when someone taps him on the shoulder. 

 

Turning around, Jihoon finds the familiar face of Soonyoung. It’s a stark contrast from last night. During the party, he was cool and energetic. Morning Soonyoung still wears his pajama pants to breakfast, hair showing signs of a lingering bedhead, face muddled with sleepiness and bubbling with newly awakened joy.

 

_Isn’t he going to perform this morning?_

 

Soonyoung waves at him with a smile, but Jihoon is too distracted by his planet-patterned pants to wave back. “A-Aren’t you in the showcase?”

 

“Indeed I am, Jihoonie,” he says proudly, and Jihoon doesn’t mind the nickname since the blond looks like a six year old in a superhero cape with his hands on his hips like that. 

 

“Are you going to perform? In that?”

 

Realization dawns on him, and Soonyoung looks down at his pants. “Oh! Uh, hopefully not! I’m a fast eater, though, so it’s okay. I can get back in time.” 

 

If Soonyoung thinks that he can, Jihoon will believe that he can. Either way, he realizes, his show will be entertaining. 

 

After getting a plate of food, Wonwoo sits near a familiar looking tree named Mingyu. Jihoon sees that Vernon is somewhere else, talking to someone Jihoon doesn’t recognize. 

 

“Hey, Jihoon, want to sit with me?” Soonyoung offers, coming up beside him. 

 

Jihoon would like to say yes, thinks Soonyoung is precious and shouldn’t be lost, but he spies Junhui and Seungcheol and he wants them, too. “Uhm, what if you sat with me?” 

 

Soonyoung doesn’t mind at all. Jihoon likes that.

 

“Seungcheol, look! Jihoon made a friend!” is the first thing they hear when approaching the pair, and Jihoon groans aloud. If _they_ can make friends, so can he. Junhui doesn't have to point it out.

 

“You’re not the only ones, you know," he quips.

 

Soonyoung laughs. It’s beautiful. “I didn’t know Jihoon had such supportive friends," he says, bordering on sarcastic.

 

“We’re the best!” Jun defends. 

 

Jihoon is more focused on his food than he is Junhui, sitting down and grabbing his silverware. Soonyoung does the same, politely introducing himself like he always does. _Hi, I’m Soonyoung, dancer, cabin seventeen._

 

And it seems that Seungcheol recognizes the cabin number and has heard this name before and , and he gasps. “You’re Wonwoo and Mingyu’s friend! He’s mentioned you! Did Wonwoo introduce you two?”

 

A little irked that he still can’t meet people on his own, Jihoon speaks before Soonyoung. “No, actually, it was coincidental."

 

Seungcheol smiles, angelic, “Either way, I’m happy to meet you, Soonyoung! Welcome to the party.” Curse him and his never-ending welcoming attitude. 

 

Breakfast passes nicely. Soonyoung fits right in, giggling with Junhui, bantering with Seungcheol. More than once he laughs hard enough to throw himself at Jihoon and the shorter’s face flushes. He only hopes it’s not obvious how much he thinks Soonyoung is— and he hates to admit this— cute. He knows Seungcheol will tease him for it even though he has a boy he likes, too. 

 

As promised, Soonyoung inhales his meal, and when he’s finished, he gets up to announce that he has to run back to his cabin and change. He cleans his tray and runs out, but not before waving at them.

 

“So,” it sounds like the beginning of a tease, Junhui smiling that shit-eating grin, “Why are you blushing, ‘Hoonie?”

 

“I’m not!” Jihoon whines, and he sounds more like a toddler than an almost-adult. But he doesn’t care— he has his dignity to keep when it comes to who he does and doesn’t like. 

 

“Aw, do you like him?” Jun immediately coos, ever intuitive.

 

Jihoon swiftly kicks him under the table, Seungcheol grinning like the idiot he is at this development. His reward comes with his own hiss of pain.

 

Seungcheol rests his chin on his palm, and Jihoon can already anticipate what happens next. “That’s cute, ‘Hoonie.”

 

“I’m not cute!” Jihoon seethes, cutely.

 

Seungcheol wiggles his eyebrows, “Does Soonyoung like you? He’s pretty nice.”

 

He’s _so_ nice, but Jihoon snorts in denial. “He says I look like a kid, Cheol. He calls me cute, but _everyone_ calls me cute. He doesn’t like me or anything and I don’t like him either!”

 

“Two weeks,” Junhui mutters in Seungcheol’s direction.

 

“One,” he offers back. 

 

“Bet.”

 

Jihoon gapes, “Did you—? Did you just bet on Soonyoung and me?”

 

They high-five. It’s… shocking. And yet— it doesn’t surprise him. 

 

Jihoon’s face burns and he’s surely blushing now, if he hadn't been before, and he hopes it’s his friends embarrassing him rather than said friends being right about him. Either way, he won’t give them that satisfaction. “I can’t believe you _actually think_ —“

 

A councilor breaks up their conversation before he can finish, “Everyone, breakfast is over! Begin cleaning up!”

 

As the counselors go over the showcase, Jihoon helps others clean the hall, sweeping bitterly and nervously, casting Seungcheol and Junhui glances that could either be a cry for help or a death threat. 

 

A short while later, the show is underway. 

 

With the rest of his cabin and a few other unknown faces, Jihoon watches others get on stage and perform to prove their talent, the crowd cheering with their ready support. The singer can’t help but flip through his mental catalogue of songs he knows, never having needed to perform one  _live_ like this.

 

“Junhui,” Jihoon hisses, grabbing the back of the dancer's shirt and yanking him down. Junhui yelps. “You signed me up for this, what am I supposed to play?”

 

“I don’t know, one of those pop songs you learned last year? How am I supposed to know?”

 

“Listen the fu—” His curse is cut off by the music starting for another’s performance. 

 

Jihoon begrudgingly lets him go, anxiously fingering chords during a female singer's lovely ballad, absorbed in remembering this song.

 

Sooner than he would like, Jihoon’s name is called to stage, and Seungcheol pushes him forward with a word of encouragement. The stage is nowhere new but it’s different when he’s the only one on it and he fumbles with his smile as much as he does his instrument. 

 

He knows he can do this. He might as well get it done with.

 

A few quick strums to start, and Jihoon can’t stop once he does. He plows into the song until the upbeat melody begins spilling from his lips, and he has to will his voice not to tremble. Luckily, it holds strong all the way through.

 

Jihoon isn’t all summer pop, but it’s so easy to fall back on it as something easy and sweet. Everyone loves a peppy pop song every now and then anyway, so it’s perfect. When he starts singing, he even gets some applause that makes him smile through the shaking.

 

_The sound of breaking waves, your laughter when your hand reaches out._

 

Strangely enough, Jihoon doesn’t feel like himself on this stage. He feels more carefree than Lee Jihoon, prouder, bolder. But it’s hard to tap into it and let himself go completely. His thoughts still race as the chorus sweeps by, threatening to distract him. 

 

_Blooming golden season, like our summer._

 

_No matter where you are, no matter what season_ — _if we’re together, it feels like summer._

 

Either way, he thinks it comes out alright in the end. Catching Seungcheol and Junhui’s eyes, he does feel proud of what he’s done. They better hope it came out good if they’re going to be the ones who encourage him into doing things like this. 

 

Of course, upon returning to the audience, Junhui and Seungcheol are quick to shower him in the praise he deserves and would surely demand. Even Vernon shuffles through the crowd to congratulate him before disappearing again. Satisfied with this turnout, Jihoon resigns himself to stand back and see how many others do a better job than him. 

 

Soonyoung is never seen before his turn, but when his name is called, he climbs the stage stairs with a smile. Jihoon’s jaw drops at his change of appearance and what he has managed to put together with such little amount of time. 

 

His hair is a little more put together, and he’s even wearing a bit of makeup. His star-studded pajamas are replaced with a pair of snugly fit jeans and a colorful, short-sleeved button-up, only half buttoned.

 

What he performs next is _sinful._

 

It’s only a minute and a half, but that’s all he really needs. His routine starts in the middle of a song, and Jihoon can see that these moves suit him well. Soonyoung’s charisma on stage is flawless, his mood a complete turn from his personality. It’s _sexy_. 

 

The routine is clearly his style and what he feels confident in performing. The way he dances is a perfect mix of smooth and sharp. It’s  _really_ good.

 

Then the chorus drops, and Soonyoung with it. 

 

As Soonyoung practically slut drops in slow motion, the audience erupts into supportive cheers, including Junhui, who’s only egging him on further. It gets worse when he falls to his knees and _body rolls—_ Jihoon doesn’t think he should be allowed to watch Soonyoung move like this.

 

Jihoon holds the back of his hand over his mouth, shocked and frankly fear-stricken when he makes eye contact with him during the final pose. That invasive can see right through Jihoon, and he's breathless. It's so much worse than how he felt meeting him the night before.

 

_What the fuck just happened?_

 

Soonyoung exits with roaring support; if this was a competition, he would surely win it. Stepping off, he leaps immediately into Mingyu’s waiting arms, the pair unmistakable through the crowd due to Mingyu’s obscene height. 

 

“Holy sh— Jihoon, you saw that right?” Seungcheol appears suddenly at his side, shaking his shoulders violently. “Wow, he's so good. I wish I could do that.”

 

Throughout the next song, Jihoon is incapable of being quiet, turning to Seungcheol and stuttering through his surprise. “You saw him this morning, r-right? He wasn’t like that. I couldn’t pull that off, could I? I’m nothing next to him. _Oh my God, I’m nothing next to him_. Cheollie—”

 

Shushing him, Seungcheol listens for the next name to be called, and he erupts into cheers when it’s Kim Mingyu who walks confidently on stage. His look is casual. In contrast to Soonyoung, he's wearing red track pants and an expensive looking white t-shirt. 

 

Although it looks casual, Jihoon can’t help but fear for his heart a second time. 

 

The music starts halfway through a song Jihoon is sure he’s heard before. It’s seconds before Mingyu is holding the microphone and rapping. His clothes may be colorful but his demeanor is cool and it’s pretty hot.

 

Mingyu knows exactly what he’s doing with that mic and how good he is. He knows _exactly_ what he’s doing walking around on that stage, smirking at the audience as each line comes, and Jihoon feels _personally_ threatened by this show of power. 

 

Some immature urge inside of Jihoon wants to crush him for being good. 

 

“Look at him!” the singer seethes, not realizing Jun is right beside him still. “Holding a stage like he owns it— _fuck_ him.”

 

“I wish,” Junhui laments.

 

Jihoon is quiet for a very long moment. “Jun,” he says, looking up at him, “what the fuck.”

 

“He’s hot! I’d like to see you accomplish anything close to that, ‘Hoonie.” The dancer refers vaguely to the stage where Mingyu has definitely just said something sexual. By hitting Junhui, Jihoon gets him to cool off a little.

 

“Yeah,” Jihoon draws out, starting to feel tired. Suddenly this whole show is stupid. He wants to go back to bed. “That would be hard. You could say I don’t have much of a ‘stage presence.’” 

 

The singer is subjected to the horror of Mingyu locking eyes with him from the stage. And he winks at him— in a way he _knows_ is sexy— all without breaking his flow. Someone needs to stop him; for the first time in his life, Jihoon prays. 

 

Equally as mortified, Junhui sighs, “Well, not yet, you don’t.” He becomes smug, “I’d like to see you top that.”

 

Seungcheol, who may or may not have been listening, snorts.

 

 

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

 

 

The campers are told to split into their respective classes after the showcase, so Jihoon reluctantly moves away from his friends to find the pavilion where it was listed that the vocal students would meet. 

 

There’s not enough time to bring his instrument back to the cabin, so he takes it with him, strumming the ukulele and serenading the trees. It’s a pleasant walk, but too hot out for him to afford a stroll, so he goes faster than he would have normally. 

 

For some reason, it was decided their introduction class would be in a really remote pavilion. Jihoon uses his map and knows he has to follow a trail, but he doesn’t expect it to be as narrow or rugged as it is. There’s not much choice to it, though, so he stumbles through the brush in hopes that it leads him to the right place. 

 

When the path breaks into a wider area, characterized by one expansive covering and a stunning view of the lake, Jihoon thinks he’s found the right place and the reason why he’s encountered no one else. 

 

He must be early. There are only two campers underneath the pavilion and two hideous pink counselor shirts. There _should_ be anywhere between twenty to thirty-five campers, but a lot of people must be taking their time. 

 

When Jihoon comes closer, one of the campers perks up. “Woah!” he says in amazement. “Another one! Join the party!” 

 

This is followed by the shorter boy playfully shoving and scolding him. “Not so loud, you’ll scare them, 'Minnie.” 

 

“Sheesh, sorry. I don't think they're scared.”

 

Soon Jihoon stands on the concrete edge of the pavilion floor, looking back and forth between each of its occupants. One of the counselors steps forward with a clipboard. Jihoon can see the other behind him, cross-legged on the picnic table while looking bored. He doesn’t see why he should be.

 

“Hello!" the man in front of him chirps. "I’m Joshua, one of the vocal team’s counselors. What’s your name, so I can check you in?” Joshua smiles and it’s a very warm thing that Jihoon doesn’t want to go away. Everything about him is calm and soft, from his light brown hair to his empathetic eyes to the way that he speaks. It’s nice.

 

The pink haired singer nods politely. “Jihoon. Lee.”

 

Joshua makes a mark on his clipboard and prepares to warn him about the wait and to relax until the others arrive, but the camper from before beats him to it.

 

“Jihoon! Come sit with us!”

 

“Seokmin, stop it!”

 

The two squabble back and forth, becoming frightfully loud to the point where someone could hear them from across the lake. It isn’t until Jihoon cackles at their misery do either of them pause.

 

“See what you’ve done?” the shorter snips. “Now he thinks we’re dumb.”

 

It only makes him laugh harder. Jihoon holds out one hand, clutching his stomach with the other, “No, no, not that. There’s no need to fight over me.”

 

“That’s Seokmin," he points an accusatory finger, "he really likes making friends to the point of irritation. Don’t mind him. I’m Boo Seungkwan.”

 

Boo Seungkwan is small but no less determined. His chin is held high even as he motions Jihoon over with a smile that bunches his round cheeks, effortlessly welcoming him into their little group.

 

Jihoon returns the gesture kindly, “Nice to meet you both.”

 

With a blinding smile, Seokmin makes room for Jihoon to sit on the picnic bench. He's taller than Seungkwan and equally admirable, although his disposition is so bright that Jihoon needs sunglasses to look at him.

 

“Didn’t you perform this morning?” he queries.

 

“I did,” Jihoon answers plainly, not really surprised they recognize him. Ukuleles are small but not discreet, and the cotton candy hair isn’t helping his case.

 

Seungkwan jolts, “Oh! You’re the one who sang _Our Summer!_ Your voice is so pretty, you did such a great job!”

 

Seokmin is also quick to praise him, adding that his addition with his ukulele sets him apart and _“makes you super cool.”_

 

Another ten minutes pass and Jihoon hardly notices as other campers arrive, too swept up in Seungkwan and Seokmin. Their very _presence_ demands attention, reminding Jihoon of Soonyoung, and it’s no surprise that the long-time friends are _also_ in cabin seventeen with the others. 

 

According to Seungkwan, the two have been friends since middle school and are sincerely considering assimilating Soonyoung into their miniature club or stealing him for a world tour together. It only seems right.

 

When asked about his hair color by Seokmin, Jihoon explains that he lost a bet against Seungcheol at three in the morning on how many gummy bears he could fit in his mouth. Seokmin cackles because that’s the stupidest reason to get his hair dyed, but it’s okay since most of it will probably fade by the time camp is over. 

 

(It’s less about Jihoon losing and more about the fact that Seungcheol won. The older almost choked on a bear trying to spit them back out.)

 

Jihoon secretly decides to adopt Seokmin and Seungkwan just as Joshua stands on a picnic table with his clipboard, averting the pavilion’s attention to his ugly camp shirt. He calls out the last names on his list and confirms that everyone is there before taking off into his clearly rehearsed opening speech.

 

“As many of you know by now, my name is Joshua, head counselor for the vocal class at camp this year. I play guitar and teach music for younger kids during the school year. I’m really excited to be working with all of you this year, and I can’t wait to see how each of you grow.” 

 

Then, he points to the relaxed figure sitting underneath him, swatting the back of his head to gain his attention. “This is Jeonghan, my—“ he clears his throat, clearly regretting his next words, “— _assistant,_  if you will. He’s also looking forward to this summer. Jeonghan, if you could say a few words…”

 

The counselor smiles flatly, preparing himself for a short introduction.

 

“Listen, folks,” Jeonghan starts, clapping his hands together. “I _really_  don’t want to be here. I’m here because I get paid, and I'm a ‘valuable asset and talented voice’ or something like that. Musicians have to do what they have to do, and if you guys are serious about music, you'll be serious about getting something out of this. Either way, I’m here, I’m teaching, and you’re going to listen to Josh. Understood?”

 

A chorus of _Yes_ comes from the students and Joshua smiles. 

 

For their first class block, it’s decided they’ll play some team building games. The entire group groans, and although Joshua seems disappointed, Jeonghan is smug.

 

Joshua explains that they’re supposed to line up in order of their age— as birthday specific as possible— without talking to each other. Jihoon isn't sure what kind of team that builds, but Joshua spares them the complexity.

 

As soon as he tells them to get going, someone tries to nudge Jihoon in the youngest’s end, and he wants to scream. He’s probably the oldest in the class but everyone assumes he’s as young as possible because of how he looks.

 

Everyone at the camp is supposed to be sixteen to eighteen years old, and since Jihoon turned eighteen the previous fall, he's pushing his limits. 

 

Jihoon fights his way to the other end of the line while Seungkwan heads to the young end, Seokmin mixed somewhere in the middle, mouthing frantically to one girl who’s trying to decipher his hand motions. 

 

Jihoon plants himself on the end by another boy wearing a long sleeved striped shirt in the middle of summer and one of those red dollar store stickers on his chest that says “HELLO! My Name is: _Doyoung_.”

 

He’s not really sure why he has that sticker or where he got it, but Doyoung still insists on verifying that Jihoon really is the oldest by grabbing his attention and mouthing _month?_ until Jihoon understands. Since Jihoon doesn’t have eleven fingers he holds up ten, pleading that the other understands that it means _last_ year and not this one. He nods in understanding, holding up two fingers and then a thumbs up. 

 

In the end, Jihoon truly is the oldest and he takes great pride in this, especially since he’s also the shortest boy in the class. If anyone doubts him again, he’ll have to point that out. No one gets to call him tiny. Except for Seungcheol. And Junhui. _And maybe Soonyoung._

 

The vocalists are the first to finish before lunch after a few more games in which Seokmin offers Jihoon for ritual sacrifice and Doyoung accidentally smacks another kid named Woojin in the face.

 

As one chaotic force, they eat together, at least half the class daring one another to a high note battle, validating it as some kind of twisted warm up. Through this, one of the girls establishes dominance over both Jihoon and Seokmin who had been leading in the boys by hitting an impressive G6 for several seconds, 

 

When they leave (read: are kicked out), Jihoon high-fives Junhui coming for lunch from dance. Having half an hour free before their next session, though, Seungkwan pulls him away before they can actually talk. 

 

 

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

 

 

Dinner comes after a few more hours of icebreakers, singing, games, and project introductions, meeting other singers with all different styles and music preferences. Everything from Broadway ballads to pop to choir music converges in one class, and Jihoon can't help but be in awe of it.

 

Joshua explained that with the different clinicians they have, the class will split, but that everyone should explore and stretch their ability beyond what they’re used to singing. Jihoon looks forward to it.

 

The coolest thing about it is the cheer connection everyone was able to make, bonding over the true fact that they all loved music— and that they were great at it, too. 

 

Among the different games they started with, Jihoon’s favorite was when they split the class by boy and girl and competed against each other.

 

The boys had started out strong with _I’m Not Sorry_ and _Half Moon_ by Dean, Woojin and Seungkwan teaming up unexpectedly for a rushed rendition of Superfruit’s _Fantasy,_ but when a few in their opposition nailed _I Wanna Dance With Somebody_ and _Heroine_ while looking them dead in the eyes, Joshua was quick to declare the girls winners.

 

Throughout dinner, Jihoon hears pockets of their celebration, sharing their victory with campers in other classes who wouldn’t have been able to see it. Seungcheol is one of these campers, greeting Jihoon with a fond, “What’s up, loser?”

 

Jihoon isn’t disappointed in losing so he responds with an equally affectionate, “Bitch.”

 

Jun and Soonyoung, freshly showered, sit down with the pair a few minutes later, groaning overdramatically and whining about how much pain they’re in. Jihoon doesn’t remember Jun having a competition since early May, so it’s no wonder that he’s a little more sore than usual. Still, he knows that they’ll have to get used to it, considering how much dancing they’ll do for the summer. 

 

When Seungcheol spills the news of the vocalist’s crushing defeat, Jun laughs, but Soonyoung pouts. “But you’re so good!” he declares, feeling as if Jihoon has been wronged in some way.

 

“But you didn’t _hear_ them, Soonyoung! She sang Whitney Houston! They deserve that win, honestly.”

 

They all eat together, taking shots of lemonade and talking about everyone’s day. It seemed to be relatively similar all around. The rappers had a rap battle, Seungcheol admitting he was swiftly beat by a sixteen year old (“He was like you, ‘Hoonie, but his voice was like, twice as deep and he wore all black and was actually good at insulting me. After my defeat, he acted cute and was _better_ than you.”) The dancers had their own freestyle fun, too, but it wasn’t a competition.

 

When treats are set out, Seungcheol graciously offers to get Jihoon a cookie, rising from the table to fight for something from the serving table. Once he’s gone, a different figure comes over to take his place.

 

Mingyu stands over the table with a smile. He probably had a good day like the rest of them; if anyone knows, it might be Seungcheol. 

 

“Hello,” he sings, and when he notices Jihoon, he brightens even further. “Oh, hey Jihoon! I didn’t see you after this morning— your song was great!”

 

“Not as good as yours,” Jihoon replies without thinking, suffering through a few quick flashbacks of Sexy Mingyu, a terrifying contrast to the boy in front of him. 

 

What’s most troubling is that no one denies it, Soonyoung unable to let the awkward gap last and leaning forward. “What about me, ‘Hoonie?” he whispers, eager for praise as well.

 

“Don’t call me ‘Hoonie and… it was great." Jihoon quickly admits defeat, "Both of you belong on stage…” 

 

At this point, Jihoon can’t help but be distracted by Mingyu and his pretty smile; but it’s less about his smile and more about the gentle hand resting on Soonyoung’s arm, the dancer’s own hand creeping up to rest atop it. It’s a subtle but strikingly intimate gesture that draws more of his attention than it should. 

 

Something about the scene throws Jihoon back to Seungcheol and the beginning of high school when there was more than they could handle, when that kind of thing was more appreciated between the two of them and they grew closer than ever. 

 

Maybe the two have their own history together; friends since diapers, perhaps. There was this morning, when Soonyoung ran to him, and they generally seem close

 

“Aw, thank you, Jihoon,” Soonyoung grins again. He looks up at Mingyu and the rapper looks down at him, and it's heartwarming enough for Junhui to lean over and whisper _Cute._ “How was your day, Gyu?”

 

 Mingyu laughs“Did Cheol tell you about Changbin absolutely destroying him? That was so fucking funny.”

 

“He did, but what about you?" Junhui presses. "Did you win anything?”

 

Mingyu sighs, reminiscent of the memory. “The match between me and Wonwoo was a draw, but Vernon won over the crowd by calling me out on my height. Low move..."

 

This time Jihoon is the one to cackle, finally feeling as if he’s won some justice. There’s still no valid reasoning behind his petty dislike of Mingyu, but that will never hinder him from taking joy in his downfall. 

 

Flushing from embarrassment, Mingyu looks away. Soonyoung hugs his waist, giggling as well. Junhui, almost as tall as, stifles his laughter as much as he can before failing. 

 

Seungcheol runs over later with three cookies, looking as if he's just been in a fight. When he notices Mingyu standing there, his victorious smile flickers. “I didn’t get one for you…” 

 

“I don’t want one,” Mingyu discloses, aware Seungcheol didn’t know he was there at all.

 

Once dinner ends, no activity planned for the night, students flood from the hall and go back to their cabins as dusk rapidly approaches. 

 

Seungkwan and Seokmin support another boy between them who complains about cramps, his woes drowned by the others’ excited chatter. Mingyu walks beside them with Soonyoung draped on his arm, cabin seventeen departing noisily as they head back for the night.

 

Jihoon watches them go from the dining hall entrance, a foreign feeling fluttering in his chest.

 

“They’re good people.” The singer turns to the presence beside him. Vernon smiles at him. “You don’t seem to like Mingyu that much, Ji.”

 

Jihoon allows him that but leaves his comment brief. “He’s confident.”

 

Seungcheol, Wonwoo, and Jun come out, yelling at them to get moving before the sun sets or that they’ll be sleeping on the couch. Vernon pats his shoulder.

 

“He’s worth giving a chance.”

 

If anyone in their cabin knows Mingyu, it may be Vernon who, like Seungcheol and Wonwoo, spent the day with the tall rapper and will soon spend many more. What he says is reliable, but something gnaws at Jihoon.

 

It might be the way he smiles, the way he puts so much effort into everything he does. There’s nothing about Mingyu for Jihoon to hate other than his insulting height, so why does he bother?

 

It might be the way Mingyu smiles at Soonyoung who is easy to love or the frustrating amounts of effort he puts into impressing Jihoon or the performance that reminds him _how much better than him he is._

 

But even then— shouldn’t he deserve a chance?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soonyoung [1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDBkpGZsP0g) [2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itSmc8U_xnA)  
> [mingyu](https://youtu.be/smm3RO7qhaA?t=130)  
> [jihoon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTNiQOZuNEU)


	3. movie shoot (day four)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The birds are chirping and the water laps at the shore, a mist hanging over the lake, colors splashing across the sky as morning approaches, and it _is_ pretty. The sight and smell and feeling is beautiful, but Jihoon is still staring at the side of Mingyu’s face. 
> 
> It’s so stupidly pretty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~no proofreading we die like musicians~~
> 
>  
> 
>  **originally published:** August 6, 2019  
>  **minor edits:** November 18, 2019  
>  **re-published with minor edits:** May 1, 2020 (sentence changes, few additions)

Day has yet to break, but that doesn’t stop Jihoon from stepping into the cool morning air with his journal tucked under his arm, hair spiked from the _extremely_ hasty shower he begged wouldn’t wake his roommates. 

 

With little light guiding him, Jihoon stumbles down the gravel path away from the cabin with the fear that a counselor will catch him wandering alone in the dark. By doing this, he’s breaking like… three rules. If Joshua sees him, he'll be disappointed. But even as Jihoon walks further away from the cabins, he comes to regret this less and less.

 

Generally, Jihoon considers himself to be a solitary person. Being in the constant company of one person or another for the past three days has worn out his social battery, leaving him in dire need of some quiet time alone

 

The camp’s loosely enforced buddy system doesn’t help considering how Seungcheol and Seokmin are strict rule followers. Even Junhui would rather comply, and when Jihoon asked where his nerve went he said that Jihoon hadn’t met his counselor yet.

 

Even if Junhui's counselor is terrifying, he would still rather risk getting caught than spend another day without  _any_ peace and quiet.

 

He’s on his own as he steps onto the parking lot asphalt. He wars between visiting the river dock or the pavilion and decides on the trail he knows best.

 

What he doesn’t expect is to find someone lingering at the edge of the dirt path to the pavilion, hunched over in concentration as if glaring at the camp map will somehow force a lit path to appear in front of him.

 

What he _does_ expect is for it to be Mingyu. His tall frame is unmistakable in the light of a creeping sunrise, even if it’s hard to tell with his baseball cap and a pair of black glasses resting on the bridge of his nose.

 

The first thing Jihoon says when he finally stands in front of him is, “I didn’t know you wore glasses.” The taller looks down at him in mild surprise at his curt greeting.

 

“I didn’t know you woke up so early,” Mingyu counters with a chuckle. His voice is thick with sleep. It's cute.

 

“Only to get away from people like you.”

 

Jihoon can see that his little quip stings, but he can’t help it because he’s always like this. If Mingyu really wants them to. get along, he won’t mind it so much.

 

At the same time, Jihoon understands that Mingyu's distaste is rightfully felt considering how he has acted towards him.

 

“It’s a little early to put in my contacts,” the taller explains without being asked. Jihoon wouldn’t have guessed it. He didn’t know he wore contacts or had glasses at all.

 

Jihoon’s own eyesight has never been fantastic, either. He hasn’t bothered with lenses since middle school since it doesn't bother him, but he still holds his menus far from his eyes like an old man.

 

The singer asks what brings Mingyu out so early, trying to avoid looking up at him and instead letting his gaze linger on the trail.

 

“Soonyoung was snoring in my ear, so I thought I’d come see the sunrise by the lake. But, uh, I can’t figure out where to go.”

 

Jihoon tsks, embarrassed on Mingyu’s behalf that he can’t read a map properly. It’s not surprising since Mingyu always seems a little lost on his own, but it’s also funny.

 

Instead of being a jerk and leaving him to figure it out himself (without being an angel and offering advice), Jihoon just motions with his notebook for Mingyu to follow him before setting off on the trail. 

 

A moment passes before Mingyu jogs to catch up to him, folding the map and trying to shove it into the pocket of his cargo shorts.

 

Not even halfway there, he breaks the silence with, “Where are we going?” 

 

“There’s a viewing pavilion by the lake where vocal has been going since class started,” Jihoon says offhandedly.

 

Hearing this, Mingyu’s gait becomes increasingly excited, picking up his pace until he’s ahead of Jihoon. It's all fine until he walks confidently in the wrong direction and Jihoon is forced to grab the back of his white shirt to stop him. 

 

Nothing about the pavilion is particularly thrilling, but Mingyu smiles anyway. It might be from the view of the lake or the fact that Jihoon isn’t pushing him away for once, but he can't tell.

 

The rapper is optimistic, throwing the pink-haired boy appreciative looks that he ignores even if he sees. Jihoon is slowly deciding that he doesn't care about hating Mingyu anymore, but he wants to show it gradually. There’s still plenty of room for Mingyu to mess up.

 

A tiny voice in Jihoon says that he won’t. 

 

“Jihoonie, come sit with me!”

 

The singer can’t tell if Mingyu is seventeen or seven with the way that he smiles, voice going up in pitch as he calls him over. Jihoon is so fooled by the innocent charm that he doesn’t even mind the nickname.

 

Jihoon pulls himself up to sit on the picnic table with his legs crossed, making sure to put a comfortable distance between himself and Mingyu whose long legs have the audacity to _touch the ground_.

 

Since Jihoon didn’t come for the sunrise (or company at all) he watches the boy next to him watch the lake, craning his neck to get a better view of the sky with a tiny smile. If Mingyu had a tail it would surely be wagging, waiting expectantly for the sun to break the tree line like a puppy. 

 

It’s weird of Jihoon to stare, but he hasn’t gotten to enough times since they met. This a different view of him, too— it’s not Sexy Mingyu commanding a stage or Disappointed Mingyu that just wants to be his friend. This Mingyu still has a morning voice and hides his bedhead in a hat, flashing comfortable grins to at Jihoon who hasn't done anything to deserve them.

 

Yesterday was busy with vocal class and games in the hot fields, Jeonghan taking every opportunity to cheat and getting as many campers to do it with him. By the time dinner was called Jihoon was sweaty and tired and didn’t stay to talk. He never even saw Soonyoung, much less Mingyu. 

 

But now they’re together, _alone,_ that funny feeling stirring in Jihoon’s chest again. He can’t help but stare, guilty for how he acted. 

 

He was an ass. Jihoon is petty and he’s not ashamed of it, but Mingyu didn’t _really_ deserve his spite. Looking at him now, he’s just so… _sweet_.

 

“There!” Mingyu leans forward far enough to come off the table entirely, running towards the lake edge to take in the sunrise. In the light, Mingyu is silhouetted and it’s pretty enough that Jihoon wishes he had a camera.

 

When the tall rapper looks back at him, Jihoon realizes he should do something. He sets his journal aside, sliding off the table and walking slowly towards him. Coming up to his right, Jihoon takes five seconds to appreciate the sun he sees every day before turning to the boy that he doesn’t.

 

Once again, Mingyu doesn’t pay attention to him and lets him stare, oblivious to the wistful look in Jihoon’s eye hiding behind that layer of cute and cool. “Wow, it’s so pretty,” the rapper sighs. 

 

The birds are chirping and the water laps at the shore. A mist hangs over the lake, colors splashing across the sky as morning approaches, and it _is_ pretty. The sight and smell and feeling is beautiful, but Jihoon is still staring at the side of Mingyu’s face. 

 

It’s so stupidly pretty.

 

“Yeah, it is.”

 

Mingyu turns his head to look down at Jihoon just as the singer’s eyes dart away, “Aren’t you glad to have come out to see it?” 

 

“I didn't come out to see the sunset, you know.” Jihoon points over his shoulder. “That’s my journal. I was hoping to get a few ideas down, away from… anyone.”

 

Mingyu seems hurt, but Jihoon can’t imagine why. “I ruined it, didn’t I? So stupid of me. I’m sorry, ‘Hoonie.”

 

There are a lot of things Jihoon has trouble figuring out, like the fact that Mingyu called himself stupid. Mingyu doesn’t get to call himself that; only Jihoon can call him stupid. It's also a matter of not minding his nickname so much when it comes to Mingyu. He's always been picky about that; even Soonyoung hasn't dared to use it yet.

 

Jihoon just _lets it happen_ with Mingyu even though the younger should know better than to push his luck with things like that. But it’s early, they’re tired, and it’s really not so bad.

 

“Mingyu,” Jihoon snaps, harsher than intended. “Don’t say stuff like that. You didn’t ruin anything for me. Okay?”

 

Relaxing, Mingyu nods. “Okay.”

 

If Mingyu is so afraid to cross Jihoon, the older may have made some mistakes already, but after thinking about it, he would rather fix whatever this is between them than let their problems grow out of hand. Jihoon can do that. Jihoon thinks he can do that.

 

He’ll start with little things. Maybe he won’t insult him behind his back or directly avoid him. Then he’ll start talking to him in a _nice_ way and say hello. Then, they’ll be friends and Jihoon will stop thinking about how much he wants to—

 

Jihoon clears his throat.

 

Once the sun is up, Jihoon mutters something about his feet hurting from standing so long. “Shouldn’t… Shouldn’t we go to breakfast?” he asks quietly, not knowing the time since he didn’t own a watch and left his phone under his pillow. 

 

Mingyu is a lot smarter and takes out his phone, only to curse when he sees the time. “ _Shit!_ It’s seven-thirty, breakfast ends in half an hour.”

 

Already turning to grab his notebook, Jihoon can sense the worry in his tone, and they jog the way back, bursting through the hall doors just before it ends. Many people are already gone, but Seungcheol, Vernon, Wonwoo, and Seokmin are still there, all four of them yelling when they see the two of them.

 

“Where _were_ you two?” Seokmin cries, eyes glistening. He jumps on Mingyu, “I was so scared, I thought something had happened to you…” Then, realizing something else, he suddenly shoves him off. “Where was my note? My heads up? My _‘Hey don’t worry but I’m going to disappear during the night and not return until after breakfast’_? Soonyoung _cried!”_

 

“Seokmin, I’m sor—”

 

“Don’t pull that shit again, okay? Go apologize to Soonyoung, he’s downstairs.”

 

Jihoon steps up, unaware that Mingyu left without telling his cabin, “He was with me. We went to the lake early this morning and I guess we lost track of time. I’m sorry, too.” It was a truly ridiculous thing for Mingyu to do, but it was so early that it must have been an honest mistake.

 

Jihoon did leave a note, but even then, it’s nice of the rest of his cabin to wait for him, even if Vernon scolds him that _‘a little late to breakfast’_ does not mean three minutes to eight. 

 

Seokmin only sighs, pushing Mingyu to the front of the hall where a set of door labeled ‘stairs’ is. With a slump in his shoulders, the rapper goes to find Soonyoung. 

 

“Oops?” Jihoon tries. It’s not well received by Seokmin. 

 

“We’ll wait for Mingyu,” Seungcheol puts in, patting the smallest singer on the back. “You guys catch up with Seungkwan.”

 

Jihoon is willing to look like an idiot one more time. “Where’s class again?” 

 

“Downstairs. Outside. Performance kids have the room down there.”

 

 _Lucky dancers with their air conditioned rooms._ “And what about—“

 

“Pavilion, other side of camp,” Wonwoo says, anticipating the question. “And we’re going to be late, too, if Gyu doesn’t hurry.”

 

(Since when did they call him “Gyu”?)

 

After bidding the rappers farewell, Seokmin takes Jihoon’s hand and drags him towards the staircase so they can be on time. Although he had seen the field back at the meet-and-greet party, he didn’t expect a whole room underneath the hall that sits on a hill. 

 

Passing by the room, Jihoon sees that it’s kind of like a giant playroom with concrete floors and a few shelves in the corner with toys, books, and boxes. There’s also a small, elevated stage like the one upstairs, and one of the walls is actually a mirror. Convenient. 

 

Almost all of the dancers have already gathered, and Jihoon picks out Junhui’s height in the crowd. At the front closest to the door, Soonyoung clings to Mingyu’s chest, the shake in his shoulders evident enough that he’s still weeping as the taller pets his hair, one hand on his waist.

 

Jihoon hand grips Seokmin’s a little tighter.

 

  
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

 

“Everyone, camp hasn’t been very fun, has it?”

 

With the campers sitting in a half circle in the grass, Joshua stands in front of them, looking kind of ridiculous with a guitar and his horrendous counselor shirt hanging off his shoulders. Jeonghan is late to class, which disappoints— but does not surprise— the students. It’s not that they hate Joshua— he just isn’t as great without Jeonghan's loving and teasing remarks.

 

It was only with reluctance that Jihoon sat directly in front of Seungkwan so that the older could hug him from behind. Jihoon doesn’t find it so bad, though. He’s tired and doesn’t mind Seungkwan swaying them gently back and forth. Seokmin sits beside them, leaning on Seungkwan’s side.

 

When Joshua speaks, a roar of protest erupts from the small crowd, and the counselor chuckles. 

 

Camp has been anything but uninteresting, and if anyone can prove that, it’s Jihoon. In the span of four days, Jihoon has made six new friends and a dozen new characters have joined his story in the summer heat, rolling along with whatever development comes their way. 

 

“By now, we’ve settled in, so I want to introduce the biggest activity of your summer.” A few people groan and Joshua’s smile only widens. “Don’t worry, kids, we’ll go easy on you.”

 

In nervous anticipation, Jihoon listens as his counselor explains how there are a few more performance opportunities during the rest of summer. The last is the most special, showing off the progress of students and what they learned during camp. "Think of it like a final, but fun. With no grades."

 

For the vocalists, there are criteria for them to follow. The teachers want them to try something beyond what they’re used to. This could be writing the song they perform or stretching into a genre they’re unused to if composing isn’t their thing. They want to see them take creative liberties.

 

Jihoon doesn’t know how this project varies among the classes, knowing little about technical dance or rap, but he notices how catered to them the rules are. Although these rules could relate to the rappers’ performances as well, they are likely to have their own spin on things. 

 

“This camp is more than just somewhere to be for the summer. We want to see you improve yourself as musicians and leave knowing more than you did at the start.

 

“By the end of this week, Jeonghan and I’d like to hear from each of you on what you’re thinking of doing. Before lunch, you can spend the rest of the time brainstorming ideas. Remember, you _are_ allowed to work together on this one!”

 

Although they're expected, Seokmin and Seungkwan's squeals still take Jihoon by surprise, knocking him off the youngest’s lap as the two hold hands and prattle about what they could do together. The rest of the class breaks off as well, and Jihoon just sits next to them, picking at the rings of his journal while waiting for them to finish. 

 

But that never seems to come, the shortest singer getting roped into their plans when Seungkwan suggests that he should join them. Jihoon can hardly get a word in, but eventually his pressing urges for them to be quiet cause them to fall silent.

 

“I don’t know if I’ll work with you guys," he explains, exasperated. "I might want to do something… by myself?” Jihoon doesn’t know why he’s saying that; he’s _apprehensive_ about going on that stage by himself again. He lacks confidence. His act kind of sucks.

 

Maybe that’s the point Joshua's trying to make, though. Everyone says that his voice is great, but the ukulele is the only thing keeping his performance from being lackluster. 

 

That’s what matters, here. Confidence. Improvement. _Growth._  There’s plenty of room for Jihoon to grow, and a solo stage can do that for him. He just has to have the guts and maybe the guidance, and there are people for that, people to help.

 

“How ‘bout we keep a spot open for you?” Seokmin suggests. “Tell us when you decide what you’re doing.”

 

“Yeah…” Maybe he’ll take them up on their offer. He’s willing to take the easy way out.

 

Seokmin and Soonyoung don’t have much experience with duets and small groups, so a song together makes sense. But Jihoon did that stuff all the time in school, and even though it’s not like anyone _knows_ , it’s not fair if he takes advantage of that.

 

Jihoon isn’t used to singing _alone._  He’s had a solo once, maybe twice, but those were short and swallowed by a chorus just after. They were unremarkable. He wasn’t the only one with a good voice. 

 

Camp is the opportunity for him to define who he is as an artist— who he is as a creator— and become an advocate for himself. He doesn’t know how he can do that or if he really even _wants_ to, but that’s what he _should_ be doing with his time when it comes to these showcases.

 

Jihoon will show them. Mingyu and Soonyoung and Jun with their professional performances and careers. Jihoon can be cool like them, too. They’re not the only ones with talent around here.

 

They all have to work for this. Junhui and probably Soonyoung spend hours in a studio and go to competitions to be judged and awarded. Seungcheol spent a few years trying to perfect himself. Jihoon has a ukulele and Seungcheol and… a piano. And his voice. 

 

How long has he been in choir? Eight years? With that much time in music, he should have this down by now. 

 

When Jihoon gets on stage, though, his nerves are too obvious. The confidence isn’t there to cover it up. He’s good. He’s _great._  What’s he so worried about?

 

  
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

 

“Hey! Jihoon! Let’s sit together!” 

 

With the way that Seokmin and Seungkwan talk about Soonyoung like he's some kind of coveted prize, Jihoon thought they would want the dancer to sit with them at lunch, but it’s Junhui they pull aside, eager to get to know him like they were Jihoon. 

 

This leaves Soonyoung looking for attention. This is where newly abandoned Jihoon comes in. He stands to the side, watching the cheerful trio of his friends ascend the stairs to the dining hall for lunch. 

 

“Come on, all the good food is going to be taken first!”

 

This leaves Soonyoung to take Jihoon’s hand and yank him forward and up to the level floor, away from the suffocating dance practice room and heat of the outside. Dancers and singers converge on the hall for a relieving break, counselors from the respective classes passing out sandwiches, snacks, and plenty of water. 

 

The long cafeteria tables have been put away until dinner, so everyone sits in their friend groups on the wooden floor. Junhui, Seokmin, Soonyoung, and another boy sit in an intimate looking square in the center of the room, and Jihoon almost wants to join them when a random sandwich and a bag of goldfish are pushed into his hands. 

 

Since Soonyoung is here, looking at him like he’s the only thing in the world, Jihoon lets the dancer drag him towards the wall, backs pressed against the paneling. He was so  _fragile_ this morning, but he seems to have brightened considerably since the incident, back to his usual self. Jihoon doesn’t know if he should be afraid, if it’s just a cover and the blond is about to rip into him about being late and stealing Mingyu away from him.

 

“So, how was your morning?”

 

It’s bait, but Jihoon is willing to bite. 

 

“I saw the sunrise this morning with Mingyu, and then we were almost late. Then Josh introduced the end of summer showcase, and… yeah. What about you?” Lame. _Lame._ Jesus, Jihoon can you be any more awkward? This isn’t how people talk.

 

“Mingyu scared the shit out of me, oh my God,” Soonyoung brushes the incident off. “I’m going to have to keep track of him. Put him on a leash or some shit. Did you know he likes to wander off like that? But every time he’s expected somewhere, he always manages to come back. It’s so stressful.”

 

He can imagine. How hard could it be to keep track of someone as tall as Mingyu? Apparently incredibly. Jihoon would lose his mind trying to find him. The singer already struggles when six-foot tall Junhui pulls the same kind of stunts.

 

“He’s like a kid,” Jihoon says absentmindedly. “Or an excited puppy. But _huge._ ”

 

“I know, right?” Soonyoung agrees. “It’s kind of cute, though, don’t you think?”

 

 _Yes._ Jihoon thinks it so fast that he short-circuits, blanking out for a few seconds. Does he really think that? That Mingyu is cute. _Cute._ Mingyu. His smile and his glasses and his laugh and _oh, God, he really does._

 

“I guess it is endearing,” he confesses, feeling weird all over. He wants to crawl out of his skin. He didn’t want to admit that maybe _maybe_ he kind of likes Mingyu just a teeny tiny bit.

 

Isn’t he supposed to be like Soonyoung? That’s what he decided, right? That Soonyoung is happy and bright and loud and an interesting complement to Jihoon, and he’s so pretty that Jihoon might die. Yeah, he likes Soonyoung— has a _crush_ on him— but he won’t say that out loud. Ever, probably. 

 

It would take a lot of courage that Jihoon doesn’t have to admit out loud that he likes someone, much less Soonyoung. He doesn’t have the dignity. 

 

So when he looks at Soonyoung just to find the younger already studying him, Jihoon doesn’t know what to do. A _hi_ catches in the back of his throat and his face may or may not be red by the time he looks away to clear his throat, grabbing his lunch and unpacking it.

 

Turkey. Great. It looks like Soonyoung got the same sandwich, but his snack is different—

 

“Are those animal crackers?” Jihoon sputters. The comment fights through his shyness because he _wants_ those fun-shaped vanilla cookies and he will do whatever it takes to get them. He fumbles for his bag of goldfish and shoves it under the dancer’s nose. “Trade.”

 

Soonyoung’s eyes sparkle. He loves goldfish. “Deal.”

 

“You need the salt anyway,” Jihoon negotiates, already reaching across Soonyoung’s lap to grasp the package in his greedy hands. The goldfish are thrown in the younger’s face, Jihoon eager to rip into his new treasure. 

 

They talk with their mouths stuffed with food, sharing memories about these snacks from when they were kids. Jihoon’s rewards were always animal crackers and he was quick to love them, even into high school. Goldfish was Soonyoung’s after-practice snack, and he had taken great joy eating the heads of the cheesy crackers first. 

 

“It was the only way to do it humanely,” he defends himself. “Sometimes I felt bad for eating them.”

 

Jihoon silently agrees as he bites the head off an elephant. “Thank you so much for letting me have these. Salt is better for you when you’re sweaty, anyway.”

 

“No problem, baby.”

 

Jihoon chokes.

 

 _That,_ he wasn’t expecting. Jihoon can’t deny how surreal this feels. He wants to say it feels like a date but they’re literally with their backs to the wall, a couple or poorly wrapped turkey sandwiches on their laps as Soonyoung pats Jihoon’s back, the singer guzzling some water to wash out the burning feeling in his throat.

 

 _Fuck._ He didn’t hallucinate that, right? “Baby” is usually a couple thing, right? Why did he have to say that and make his heart all confused and sad and happy?

 

When Jihoon recovers, Soonyoung doesn’t mention it, so Jihoon doesn’t, either. What is he _supposed_ to say?

 

He didn’t dislike it. He can get used to Soonyoung calling him baby without qualms or problems. Even though it’s impossible to take this as a clear sign of interest, Jihoon wants to believe that it is. 

 

Granted, Jihoon doesn’t know what the signs are that Soonyoung _does_ like him. Are these it, or is Jihoon just really _lovesick_ already?

 

The singer clears his throat, taking another sip of water. “Must’ve gone down the wrong pipe,” he tries to cover, coming to realize how ridiculous he must have looked. “Agh, I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s fine, don’t worry, ‘Hoonie.”

 

He’s doing _that_ again, that thing when he looks at Jihoon like he’s the only boy ever, confidently calling him something cute. He doesn’t even have permission to do that— 

 

But who is Jihoon trying to kid? Mingyu has a pass; Soonyoung has one, too.

 

“You’re so nice, Soon. Seungcheol would have made fun of me.”

 

“Don’t you and Cheol have that whole ‘friends since diapers’ thing, though? You’re practically brothers. Brothers do that.” 

 

Jihoon takes a bite of his sandwich, “Well, what about you and Mingyu? How long have you guys been friends?” 

 

Jihoon thought the ‘friends since diapers’ thing was their thing too, but it sounds like he was wrong about that. They seem _really_ close, though. This morning's dramatic reunion scene says enough about that.

 

“Three years? Four? I was a freshman and he was in eighth grade. It was weird. We met when I came back to the school as a volunteer.”

 

“Dude, that’s a long time. It’s not diapers, but it will do.”

 

“Yeah.” The look in his eyes is uncertain. “You can say we’re close.”

 

Maybe Soonyoung is just unlucky that their paths don’t cross very much outside of the cabin. That must suck. Jihoon wouldn’t feel nearly as comfortable as he does here without Seungcheol or even Junhui around. The familiar presence means a lot.

 

By now, though, Soonyoung is starting to fill in the blanks. Jihoon is never alone for a moment, and when his other friends are busy, Soonyoung is always inexplicably _there._

 

Jihoon isn’t going to deny that he likes that, and he isn’t going to pry into Soonyoung’s relationship with Mingyu. It’s not like the singer has divulged everything about Seungcheol to him, so there’s no reason for him to push it.

 

Besides, if the longing look Soonyoung gives him says anything, it’s that there’s something he wants to say, but doesn’t know how to yet.

 

“I heard your first clinician was today,” Jihoon fills the strange feeling air, looking for a bit of clarity. “Jun didn’t seem particularly interested, though.”

 

“Yeah, she’s working with the girls today. Our counselor is having us try out a routine.”

 

“I haven’t seen Jeonghan all morning…” the singer takes a much slower sip of water. “Which one is yours?”

 

Soonyoung takes another bite of his lunch before pointing at someone talking with Joshua. The vocal coach nods along with him as the other talks mostly with his hands, seeming to demonstrate a few dance moves as if explaining a routine. 

 

“That’s Minghao,” Soonyoung whispers like he’s trying to hide the fact. “He’s a _really_ good dancer— he’s got the coolest fashion, too.”

 

Minghao’s naturally black hair is cut as a mullet. It's not Jihoon's preferred style, but he makes it look good, somehow. With long bangs framing his face and casting shadows over his eyes, he almost looks scary, but it’s revealed otherwise when he pushes his hair back. His face is rather cute when you take everything else away. A soft jawline, glittering eyes.

 

When Soonyoung says his style is cool, he's telling the truth. Even though it’s only his practice clothes, the jeans and big, brightly colored t-shirt, thankfully not that horrendous camp shirt, seem fashionable on his lean figure.

 

“He looks scary,” Jihoon hisses back.

 

“He is, but he’s actually super nice when you talk to him, especially outside of practice.”

 

The two polish off their lunches in quiet, sometimes snickering about something Seokmin does or feeding crackers to each other. It’s nice. Comfortable. It feels like they’ve been friends for months instead of days. 

 

“Are you having fun? At camp?” Jihoon asks, crumpling up his trash. 

 

Soonyoung gasps as if Jihoon had accused him of something, “Of course I am! I’m gonna learn so _much_ this summer, and I met you and Seungcheol and Junnie and Seokmin and Seungkwan and Ver—“

 

Jihoon’s palm flattens against the dancer’s face, pushing it away and smushing his cheeks. His heart swoons briefly, but he quickly recoils when the younger almost succeeds in licking his hand. “Okay, _okay._  I get it.”

 

“Hey! What about you?”

 

Jihoon is having fun. Jihoon is _definitely_ having fun. A cabin with his two _bestest_ friends? Music class? A beautiful camp? New friends? _Two cute boys?_

 

Getting to know everyone had been a big step outside of Jihoon’s usual keep-to-himself attitude, but people like Soonyoung, Seokmin, or Wonwoo make it easy. 

 

Jihoon’s having fun at camp. He’s having fun watching the sunrise with Mingyu, eating lunch with Soonyoung, singing with Seokmin, and laughing with Seungkwan. 

 

He wishes he was having fun holding Soonyoung’s hand, kissing Soonyoung’s cheeks, leaning on Soonyoung’s shoulder— but maybe that's the heat getting to him. Maybe that's how he really feels.

 

“Me?” The blond next to him nods, genuinely expecting his answer with endearing, childish anticipation. “I’m definitely having fun.”

 

  
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

 

Cold tap water hits Jihoon’s face as he gets ready for bed, actually following some kind of routine for once before he conks out next to Seungcheol on their bunk. 

 

Vernon sits on one of the couches outside, writing something down. Wonwoo and Seungcheol are in bed— _separate_ beds— reading, although the older is probably falling asleep at this point. 

 

The bathroom is empty, albeit a little steamy, Wonwoo and Junhui having taken their showers for the night. The latter stands at the sinks beside Jihoon, lathering acne wash on his face— something he could have done in the shower if he wanted to. A moisturizer sits waiting on the counter.

 

Jihoon uses face wipes for his cleanser and dispenses of the pad. He’s ready to sleep when Junhui says something out of the blue, disrupting their comfortable quiet.

 

“Soonyoung said he wouldn’t mind seeing the sunrise with you some time. Something about Mingyu getting to and him being able to too.”

 

The comment feels like a slap in the face, like being dunked into an ice bath. Does Junhui know? He’s not supposed to know that Jihoon might _like_ Soonyoung. Jihoon is supposed to be the grumpy oldest and he’s not supposed to like new people.

 

Or does Soonyoung really want that? Jihoon’s mind flashes back to lunch when Soonyoung called him “baby,” looked at him like he was his world; and then to dinner, when Mingyu sat _very_ close to Jihoon, his warm (sweaty) side pressing against his, laughter shaking both of their chests. 

 

(The taller gave him a hug when they left, swallowing the singer in his arms and it was very nice. 10/10 would hug again.)

 

The idea of taking Soonyoung to the pavilion— let alone to see the sunrise— elicits a blush in his cheeks, ears burning hot once the thought sinks in. Why didn’t Soonyoung ask? Was he nervous?

 

“Really?” Jihoon stutters, not quite believing that Soonyoung would request something of him through Junhui. That would be very un-Soonyoung of him.

 

Junhui finishes washing his face, drying off with a towel. He shakes his head, grinning at Jihoon as if he really _does_ know something he doesn’t.

 

“No, not really, dummy. You should have seen your face, it was so red!” He giggles, but it cuts when Jihoon looks away gloomily. Of course Junhui was messing with him like that. Of course Soonyoung would never make a move like that. “Jihoon, you clearly like him, and I can’t be the only one who's noticed.”

 

“Fuck you.”

 

Junhui scoffs, “Okay. I get it. Listen, you have to own up to it at some point.”

 

“Own up to what?” Jihoon mutters bitterly. He’d rather not talk about this, with Junhui of all people— the same one who bet on him and Soonyoung in the first place. “That I like someone I met less than a week ago?”

  
“Close— That you’re fucking _whipped_ , and it’s the cutest thing I’ve seen from you since the gummy bear debacle."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> school started :/ so ig updates on this will be super slow even though they already were before. 
> 
> jihoon is a big gay mess and honestly i can relate but lucky for him that the rest of his friends are confident gays. ;) anyway thats it see ya on the flip side. always wanting to hear opinions/diff takes!! <3


	4. comme des garçons (day five)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the way Soonyoung calls Jihoon to sit with them as most of the others stay outside, pulling him to sit between his legs on the couch because there’s no room for three. It’s the way Mingyu chuckles at the sight of them, palm flat against Soonyoung’s knee but his eyes locked on Jihoon.
> 
> Although he _is_ wearing some clothing, being near both of his newfound crushes at the same time is like being stripped and shoved under a microscope. And while that sounds like something akin to a nightmare, it’s worse thinking of it like laying your heart out on a table and willingly giving someone a knife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **originally published:** December 6, 2019  
>  **re-published with major edits:** May 2, 2020 (paragraph changes and additions; no plot changes)

The gummy bear debacle has haunted Jihoon in the recesses of his subconscious for the last six months of his life.

 

The worst part of it was that every involved party was sober. It was spurred by pure insanity and poor impulse control, coupled with Seungcheol’s bizarre obsession with putting Jihoon in compromising situations.

 

For the longest time, people avoided calling Jihoon ‘cute.’ For a guy, he’s pretty short, and his baby face still shaves a few years off of him, so his friends like to pinch his cheeks and ruffle his hair. The thing, though, is that Jihoon doesn’t _like_ people pinching his cheeks and calling him cute. In a general sense, skinship just isn't his thing, and for a long time, people— even his friends— respected that. 

 

Until _the_ _gummy bear incident_.

 

The previously mentioned dare began around two in the morning during at Seungcheol's house where Junhui and Jihoon had slept over. 

 

In a last ditch effort to take advantage of their winter break, the trio bought pizza for dinner the night before and walked to the nearest convenience store for a few bags of sweets. After pizza and a split bag of marshmallows, the three talked and talked until they passed out at ten-thirty, laying on top of each other in Seungcheol’s bed.

 

Some time after midnight, however, they collectively reawoke. Jihoon remembers drooling on Seungcheol’s sweatshirt, Junhui tucked between them, the least awake out of them, sleepy fingers curling around the shortest’s whenever they moved.

 

Jihoon also remembers how Seungcheol had propped his head on his palm to stare at him, a sly grin breaking his face before he whispered, _“Truth or Dare.”_

 

From there, it only went downhill. The best friends played for a short while as Junhui slept between them, Seungcheol’s hand carding through his hair sweetly. It started off normal, like most of these games do. Seungcheol admitted several things Jihoon wished he hadn’t, and Jihoon was dared to peck Junhui on the forehead (which he did without hesitation, already fond of him. Junhui’s mouth twitched, evidently content at the attention he was given.)

 

That night, though, Jihoon must have been out of his mind. He dared Seungcheol to a contest involving how much candy they could fit in their mouths, betting his hair color at the older’s request. That’s where the gummy bears came in.

 

To Jihoon’s dismay, Seungcheol won, that night, almost choking in the process of spitting the sugary bears back out.

 

The next morning, Seungcheol picked up some temporary hair dye, bubblegum pink, and held Jihoon down with Junhui’s help to apply it to his already bleached hair. The color made him look six years younger, and to alleviate his embarrassment as much as possible, Jihoon swiftly got a haircut to get rid of as much of the color as possible. 

 

(His hair is still growing out from the debacle, and although much of the color remains, it consistently fails to cover his dark roots. Before his next school year starts, Jihoon can hopefully redye it completely or cut it off again. Either way, he hopes Seungcheol is happy.)

 

Junuhi was always the one ruffling his new hair, calling him small and pointing out how cute he looked— out of genuine appreciation and not just to tease him. He really did think he looked cute that way.

 

Now, after almost two months, Junhui is still calling him cute, but for a completely different reason. 

 

With Mingyu and Soonyoung around, he’s calling him cute and _whipped_ because he can't stop himself from getting flustered or embarrassed around them. Junhui's playing a dangerous game, practically asking to have his ass kicked.

 

Jihoon isn’t “cute.” The pastel clothes and the pink hair, maybe, but the personality? He doesn’t try to be nice and grapples with expressing his emotions to others. Just look at he and Mingyu— that was a short-lived disaster on his part.

 

Something about Soonyoung— and Mingyu, additionally— is changing him, just like his hair did. Jihoon’s not saying that Soonyoung is a box of hair dye or a gummy bear dare, but he’s something like that: a semi-permanent presence, a life-altering decision.

 

Soonyoung is so unpredictable and unreadable to Jihoon that he feels he could be highlighting something that was never written to begin with. He has no idea what he's supposed to get from this change, if anything at all.

 

It could all be a misunderstanding, to him. It could be a teenager thing where he falls too fast and too hard, but it’s not like he has a lot of experience with this kind of thing. Girls are hard, but Soonyoung and Mingyu are harder. 

 

And Jihoon is at a loss.

 

  
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

 

 

“Don’t be a piece of _shit!”_

 

The basement practice room erupts into chaos as nine boys suddenly startle, moving to pull the youngest of them away from the tallest before he is mauled.

 

Jihoon only happens to walk in at the wrong time, hesitating in his path once he sees a stranger trying to lunge for Mingyu’s neck, the latter standing aside, mildly concerned and frankly fearful, waiting for the commotion to die down. 

 

Someone scolds the room for language and Jihoon thinks it’s Seungcheol trying to be sensible over Soonyoung’s explicit bargaining for the stranger to _fucking_   _chill._ For awhile, it doesn't do any good, and Jihoon wonders if the rest of the group is just going to stand there and watch the dancer struggle. Seokmin comes to help, taking the stranger's arm and keeping from swinging wildly.

 

“I’m cool, I’m cool!” the boy cries, going lax. His sudden weight drags Soonyoung and Seokmin to the floor, and the three lay in a pile, firing back and forth at one another until one of them moves.

 

Jihoon, however, brings them to a halt, "What the fuck are you guys doing?"

 

Soonyoung, trapped in a Seokmin sandwich, turns his head to see the source of the new voice in the room, flushing when he realizes that it’s Jihoon. Mingyu scratches the back of his neck. Junhui is giggling in the corner, laughing at the pile on the floor while Wonwoo and Seungcheol collectively sigh. Seungkwan attempts to pull Seokmin away from the others, and Vernon stands next to him, nudging someone’s side with his foot.

 

“It’s not what it looks like!” the boy cries, eyes squeezing shut in embarrassment. He probably thinks Jihoon is a counselor, but he’s not— just a camper deciding whether this is somewhere he really wants to spend his free afternoon. 

 

“Shut the fuck up, Chan, no one was _thinking—_ “

 

“I’d like to hear you say that with Soonyoung’s knee digging into your crotch!”

 

“Shit,” Seokmin groans. “I think something just popped.”

 

Somehow, the group untangles them despite Seokmin and Soonyoung’s dead weight. Chan, the one on the floor, rolls over while clutching his abdomen where Soonyoung had been laying, crawling to Mingyu and falling at his feet.

 

“Dude, I’m so sorry,” he groans. “Please help.”

 

And Mingyu hauls the boy to his feet, patting him on the back and sending him off. Chan scratches the back of neck, glancing back and forth between the rapper and Jihoon who is still standing in the doorway and trying to pretend like nothing happened.

 

Seungcheol smiles at him, a little strained, motioning for Jihoon to come in. “Join the party, Jihoon, this probably was just a one time thing.” 

 

“Hopefully,” Wonwoo adds. If the flare in his cheeks says anything, it’s that he’s still embarrassed by the scene. And really, no one can blame him. 

 

Chan straightens, “Oh, you’re not a counselor. I’m Chan, from cabin seventeen? I’m a dancer. Nice to meet you.”

 

Jihoon waves at him and hopes his face is friendly, “Uh, ditto.”

 

“ _Guys_ , there’s a ping pong table!” someone calls. The group turns and finds Vernon smiling at the closet, Seungkwan pulling on the table’s handle to pull it out.

 

“Oh, _fuck_ yeah!” Soonyoung shrieks. 

 

It takes half an hour with all ten of them to set up the table and find enough items and balls to play with. Mingyu, Seokmin, and Seungkwan stand to the side with dollar store microphones found in the bottom of a toy chest, providing professional commentary on their makeshift tournament. 

 

Seungcheol enters the contest with a cup and high confidence, Mingyu not hesitating to compliment his skill before the game even begins. Vernon has a flip flop and a general sense of what’s going on; Seokmin paints a promising future for him as well, eagerly pointing out how his item choice will benefit him. Chan picks up a can as his paddle and Seungcheol accuses him of copying him. 

 

Jihoon finds a pot and takes the lid, Junhui taking the dish soon after. No one knows where Soonyoung’s basket lid came from, but he has it. Wonwoo is the only one with an actual paddle, and Seungkwan is very critical of his decision to follow the rules. 

 

Chan and Vernon are sadly the first to be eliminated, the older’s shoe proving difficult to aim with and therefore making it— wait for it— a _flop._ Half of the group groans when Mingyu makes the pitiful joke, unimpressed by his MCing skills. You would think that with a can, it’d be easy to win, but Chan still manages bottom of the ranks anyway. 

 

(And there’s nothing wrong with that, Seokmin reminds them.)

 

Of course, it’s not table tennis without a little competition, and Seungcheol is all in. Unlike Chan, his cup is used in his advantage and he insists on climbing _onto_ the table to drop the ball on the other side, making it impossible for Junhui to even _try_ and bounce it back. The dancer loses to him, grumpily, causing an uproar about his methods.

 

Jihoon has a headache by the time Wonwoo serves against him. It’s not a particularly thrilling game, but the boys hype it up anyway. Jihoon wins. He defeats Seungcheol, too, the older collapsing dramatically as Jihoon laughs at him. 

 

In the end, they all applaud each other, the MCs screaming into their microphones. Soonyoung hugs him out of nowhere, congratulating him, and Chan pats his shoulder. 

 

Another game or two passes this way, with chaos and _noise_ that Jihoon isn’t fond of. Still, he bears through it because he has fun bonding with the rest of them, even in the most bizarre ways. They’re great people, all of them. Even if they _are_ a pain in the ass, Jihoon is so taken with them that he can hardly imagine spending his free hours with anyone else. 

 

They learn more about each other. It turns out that Chan is the youngest of all of them, even if by a few months; they all immediately baby him. Junhui’s birthday is _apparently_ coming up, Soonyoung’s following less than a week later, during which they’ll turn eighteen. Mingyu really likes photography. Wonwoo is a trained vocalist. 

 

This kind of bonding brings them closer together; they feel more at home because of this, less afraid of spending their entire summer at camp. Even Jihoon feels less apprehensive than before.

 

By the time afternoon melts into evening, Joshua has wrangled the group into setting up the dining hall for dinner, cleaning the floor and bringing out the tables. Fatigue sets in once they finish. Jihoon’s arms ache from mopping so much.

 

Out of the corner of his eye, the singer notices Mingyu and Seokmin setting something up on the stage, but he pretends not to notice. Frankly, he's too tired to give it much thought in the first place. His head is still bugging him, so he sits down at one of the tables and lays his head down.

 

It isn’t long before Seungcheol joins him as well, plopping into the seat next to him. He groans, muttering something about the younger two and yawning. 

 

The static of a mic interrupts them, crackling a bit over the speakers. The hall stills, conversations and bodies become idle at once. Joshua sits in the corner, Seungkwan beside him. Wonwoo sweeps thoughtfully and Junhui naps against the wall, Vernon and Chan joining him on either of his shoulders.

 

Faint music begins to play, flipping through a few tracks until it lands on one in particular. Looking up, Jihoon discovers a small karaoke machine, lights and all, sitting on the stage. Mingyu is attached to the end of the mic, sitting against the wall. Soonyoung lies beside him flat on his back with a different mic resting on his chest.

 

As if Mingyu can’t be any _more_ perfect, his voice is steady when he sings, and although it’s less confident than when Jihoon had heard him rapping during the showcase, it’s clear and not without some technique.

 

Even if his range is limited, it’s perfectly okay and fitting for him, and Jihoon hates to admit that he likes it. He likes the song and his voice and the passion that twists his features when a strange he struggles to find note passes.

 

Soonyoung doesn’t put in the same effort. Mingyu is aided by the older every now and then; Soonyoung holds his mic far from his face, half-hearted harmonies and accompaniment difficult to hear over the track. It’s enough for him.

 

Everything about them feels so natural. Their impromptu song could have been rehearsed, but it’s not polished enough to convince Jihoon. 

 

Mingyu and Soonyoung just fit together. They click like weirdly shaped puzzle pieces, but they _fit_ and it’s beautiful, musicians or not.

 

And yeah, maybe he wishes he could be a part of that. Jihoon doesn’t know why— Soonyoung just seems to attract people, pulling them into his orbit. He’s just a star, and the universe centers around him. His gravity is a bit too strong for Jihoon to resist.

 

Mingyu is charming. He's tall, tan, handsome, and everything beyond that. Talented. Kind. Dedicated. Another planet in Soonyoung's orbit, colliding into Jihoon on accident.

 

Jihoon doesn't have to feel alone without Mingyu and Soonyoung, though. There’s Seungcheol. There’s _always_ been Seungcheol. Jihoon knows that even as Mingyu and Soonyoung keep singing. He reaches over to hold his closest friend’s hand, the older not even flinching as he does. 

 

Jihoon can tell Wonwoo is watching them and he thinks this is good. If _Seungcheol_ gets a boyfriend— if Seungcheol musters up the courage and just _asks Wonwoo on a date_ — then he’ll be happier. (Not to say he wasn’t happy before.) Wonwoo is interested in him, and it's all he's ever wanted: for some one to like him back.

 

But with Seungcheol occupied, Jihoon would need something more. _Someone_ more. With all of his new friends, he feels like he needs someone other than Seungcheol or Junhui to be close with. For Christ’s sake, there’s _ten_ of them; he needs more players on his team.

 

Jihoon won’t _lose_ Seungcheol to Wonwoo, but they’ll be together often and it leaves the singer with Junhui or by himself. Maybe if Jihoon had someone like Seungcheol has Wonwoo, then he wouldn’t feel quite as isolated in their friend group.

 

They’re all close, so surely he can connect with someone. Seokmin and Seungkwan are attached at the hip; Mingyu and Vernon are becoming fast friends. Of course, there’s Soonyoung, too, who gets along with everyone as usual. They all get along, Jihoon adores them each in their own way.

 

Yes, they’re all lovely. Jihoon wishes someone would be dedicated to him as they are to their group. A person that he loves and would give his all to, as they would to him. 

 

And as Jihoon allows Mingyu and Soonyung to lull him into sleep, a realization strikes him as harshly as a brick to the face. 

 

_Jihoon wants a boyfriend._

 

It sticks with him even through dinner and the vocal group’s evening class meeting, reminding him every time he so much as glances at one of his friends, always in the back of his mind. Junhui smiles at him during dinner and the only cohesive thing Jihoon’s conscience can produce is their conversation from the day before.

 

_Listen, you have to own up to it at some point._

 

God forbid he wants someone to love him. Junhui can suck it. He can admit this to himself even if he can’t out loud.

 

It’ll take a lot for him to admit it to anyone, even Seungcheol. His crush(es) are just flings and this doesn’t have to affect _anything_ in their friend group. Surely, he can go about liking Soonyoung and Mingyu without it troubling him _too_ much because it will fade by the time camp is over. It has to.

 

And still, he can’t be too sure. 

 

  
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

 

 

Jihoon leaves the class meeting ahead of Seokmin and Seungkwan, chatting idly with Woojin until they break off, the younger singer leaving him at cabin nine with a wave. 

 

The first thing Jihoon feels like doing after the door to his own cabin falls shut is sleeping, so he gathers a fresh set of clothes and hops into the shower. None of his cabinmates have arrived, yet, probably held up with their own classes, which is fine for Jihoon who likes having the cabin to himself.

 

The water is still hot when he dips underneath it, quickly scrubbing away all the sweat and grime sticking to his skin. 

 

Summer is gross.

 

Jihoon is lucky that Joshua is one of many who continually urge the campers to stay hydrated, or he may have passed out by now with the amount he has sweat. By the end of the day, he feels disgusting because of the heat, shirts sticking to his back. It’s nothing a good shower can’t fix.

 

When he slips out of the bathroom, Jihoon is wearing the closest thing to pajamas he could find on short notice— a revealing pair of shorts and one of Seungcheol's shirts. He looks and feels like an annoying teenage girl in them with his thin, pale legs exposed, and longs for winter and his jeans, but he doesn’t feel like changing again in this heat.

 

Mingyu is sitting on one of the couches as he walks by them, and Jihoon tosses him a passing _yo,_  ignoring the incredulous look the younger gives him in favor of heading towards the bedroom. He can't wait to burrow into his sheets until the others inevitably arrive, maybe even get a few minutes of sleep to give his aching feet a rest.

 

Jihoon catches himself on the door frame. Wait— _Fuck._

 

He spins on his heel and eyes the tall rapper on his couch who hasn't moved at all. “Why are you in my _cabin_?”

 

Looking as if he was caught breaking something, Mingyu colors. “Uhm, retrieving you?”

 

Jihoon’s already counting off all of the things he doesn’t like about this.

 

“What does ‘retrieve’ mean?” _Why_ is he being retrieved— did he miss the invitation? “And where are Wonwoo, Vernon, and Seungcheol?”

 

“They’re at my cabin,” he explains sheepishly. “We all kind of agreed to have a night together with Chan’s smuggled in marshmallows— I volunteered to come get you.”

 

“Oh,” he realizes. Suddenly he feels a little weird like this, “I can cha—“

 

“No, it’s fine,” Mingyu says too quickly. “You look cute,” he adds softly.

 

Shit??

 

Don’t panic, Jihoon, he just said you looked cute. He said you were cute— your dumb, tall, buff, sweet as hell crush just called you cute. He hates that he's never genuinely liked being called cute until now.

 

“O-Okay.”

 

He can live with wearing these shorts around his friends if it means Mingyu is going to sweet-talk him.

 

As Jihoon stumbles out of the cabin with Mingyu pulling him along the way, he realizes _this_ feels different from anyone else. _This_ is different from Junhui and Seungcheol who are _not_ his crushes and don’t act all blushy when they say that he’s cute. 

 

Junhui and Seungcheol know their lines and never cross them. There’s a system to it. They’re his closest friends, so they’re allowed to coo at him as long as they want until he tells them to stop. 

 

But that brings Jihoon back to Mingyu, who is not his closest friend yet still isn’t setting off any of Jihoon’s alarms. Mingyu isn’t a close friend, so he must— he has to be _more_ than that. Like Soonyoung. Oh, God. 

 

The only difference between cabin thirteen and cabin seventeen is the numbered sign and the fact that the latter is set a little downhill. Other than this, the two are identical. Therefore, it’s no trouble for Jihoon to slip inside behind Mingyu, the singer assaulted by a barrage of noise from their eight other friends that are waiting for them. 

 

“Hey, Mingyu! What took you so long?”

 

“Seungkwan, give it _back!”_

 

"Haha, look at your face, Mingyu!"

 

“Is that my shirt?”

 

Jihoon shoves Seungcheol playfully, trying to hide that it is, in fact, his shirt. “Don’t worry about it.”

 

After some chatter and another unnecessary comment or two about Jihoon’s outfit— he just wanted to _sleep—_ Chan clambers onto a chair, holding several bags of marshmallows above Seokmin’s eager grasp. “Okay, guys, since we can’t have a campfire unsupervised, we can either ask for a counselor or cook on the stove. The floor will take a vote!”

 

“Call Minghao!” Jun shouts before anyone else can put in their opinion. “He’s _cool_ _.”_

 

Chan points at him, "Someone give this kid a marshmallow." 

 

  
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

 

 

“Alright, kiddos, here’s your first rule about fire: Pine cones are combustibles.” Minghao places said cone between a few logs, sliding open the match box in his palm to take out a match. The counselor kneels so that he can easily jump away, and Chan copies him, watching intently with excitement shining in his eyes. 

 

Jihoon crouches across from them, Seokmin’s hand pressed into his shoulder as the younger singer leans over him to see. 

 

“Creosote is flammable— gives your marshmallows that smoky flavor you want,” Minghao jokes. In one swift movement, a match is sparked, dancing in each boy’s eyes as it hovers over the pine cone. It catches. Minghao quickly drops the stick, reaching for some leaves and dry brush that he quickly settles around the small flame, dropping another match that catches quicker than the last. 

 

Jihoon catches the glint in Minghao’s eye as the older man ruffles Chan’s hair. Aw, that’s sweet. So, he’s not as bad as he thought. Minghao really is— as Junhui declared— _cool._

 

“Wait,” Soonyoung pipes up. “If you lit a pine cone on fire, could you use it as a flaming projectile? Uh, hypothetically, I mean.”

 

Vernon _ooh_ s, immediately taken with the idea. Wonwoo nods thoughtfully as Minghao smiles. “Sure. But you didn’t hear that from me.”

 

Suddenly excited, Soonyoung claps his hands together. “Delightful.”

 

“I can think of a few places I wouldn’t mind burning,” Vernon decides.

 

Seungcheol admonishes them lightly, words without weight. “Oh, but isn’t that against the law?”

 

“It’s not illegal if you don't get caught,” Jihoon adds.

 

Though Seokmin frowns, Chan cackling, the conversation slips into something else entirely, from the camp to their lives back home and how they know one another. 

 

There’s is the established trio of Jihoon, Seungcheol, and Junhui, all having gone to the same school. Seokmin and Seungkwan have been a duo for years. Wonwoo, Mingyu, and Soonyoung go to the same school as well. 

 

(This leaves Vernon and Chan high-fiving, bonding briefly over the fact that they both came in with no connections to the group.)

 

There’s a glint in Wonwoo’s eye when he explains rather vaguely how he met Mingyu and Soonyoung, and Jihoon can’t decide what it’s supposed to mean. He does have a tendency to be rather cryptic in his phrasing.

 

Minghao interrupts them by bringing out the marshmallows and metal sticks to spear them with. With the campfire at a satisfying size and temperature, the group happily indulges in their toasted sweets, passing around stories and half hearted puns. 

 

Jihoon feels rather warm inside, and it’s not the fire making him feel this way; having supportive friends and spending genuinely enjoyable time with them is worth a lot. It’s not like there is a lack of such a thing in his usual life, but an extra dosage never hurts. 

 

In fact, meeting new people has been a good experience for him. He’s not the best at being sociable, but others are, and he’s been able to fit into their puzzle without resistance— a gap just his size. 

 

And with Mingyu smiling at him like that from across the fire; Soonyoung pressing into Jihoon's side, one arm curled awkwardly around his leg; the different warm feeling spreading in his chest, climbing to his cheeks to stain them permanently because of them; that feeling is priceless.

 

It lingers even after the fire is put out, Minghao retiring once again to the counselor cabins, and Jihoon wonders if it will always be this way— if things will always be a little more wistful, a little more _daring_ when Mingyu or Soonyoung are around. 

 

They certainly carry that air of magic around them, especially when together, which is often. With them, Jihoon doesn’t have to think as much. With them, It’s sunrises and animal crackers and marshmallows over campfires; choreography and rap verses and afternoon duets.

 

It’s the way Soonyoung calls Jihoon in to sit with them as most of the others stay outside, pulling him to sit between his legs on the couch because there’s no room for three. It’s the way Mingyu chuckles at the sight of them, palm flat against Soonyoung’s knee but his eyes locked on Jihoon.

 

Although he _is_ wearing some clothing, being near both of his newfound crushes at the same time is like being stripped and shoved under a microscope. While that sounds like something akin to a nightmare, it’s worse thinking of it like laying your heart out on a table and willingly giving someone a knife. Vulnerable.

 

Soonyoung talks about his dance courses and the songs he wants to learn, even mentioning some he wants to choreograph himself. Mingyu talks about his dog and how much he misses it, showing Jihoon a few videos that have him snorting. 

 

With a little coaxing, Jihoon takes off into explaining his latest project, and it’s not long before he’s prattling to them about the kind of tone he wants to go for, a little too lost in his chord progressions to notice Soonyoung smiling at Mingyu over his shoulder.

 

As the sun sinks lower, the trio talk back and forth, about music, their lives separate from camp, school, and what they want to do with their lives in the future. Jihoon mentions redying his hair and Mingyu deflates, pouting and whining sadly.

 

It’s a little funny and certainly a little silly for Mingyu to care so much. It’s a lifetime of a summer, but it’s just a summer in the end, and for all Jihoon knows, they may go their separate ways, and that may be it. If Mingyu is gone, it shouldn’t matter if Jihoon’s hair is bubblegum pink or lime green. 

 

He shouldn’t think negatively like that, though. _Of course,_  they’ll stay in touch. With Soonyoung’s enthusiasm, there’s no way they _won’t._  Jihoon is not opposed to the idea. 

 

As night encompasses the cabin, a few come back inside, a few others heading back to cabin thirteen. By then, Jihoon can’t imagine being among them and would rather just stay with Soonyoung and Mingyu forever. 

 

His previous exhaustion is catching up with him, and he seems to melt into Soonyoung’s chest that shakes every time the dancer laughs. His breath tickles Jihoon’s neck, and every nerve in his body is overly aware of the sensation. 

 

Mingyu snores softly in his lap, haven given into sleep already. Jihoon’s hand— half intertwined with Soonyoung’s— combs through his hair. The blond’s free hand does the same for Jihoon, resting around the base of his neck. 

 

His whole body feels alive yet calm, excited yet tired, and he grows closer to sleep as the minutes tick by. Soonyoung is no help, whispering about random and pointless things that will easily put Jihoon under if he tunes him out. 

 

Jihoon wouldn’t be surprised if that was the blond’s intention all along.

 

No matter what his intentions are, Jihoon still ends up drifting off before he can stop himself, falling asleep in Soonyoung’s lap with Mingyu’s head resting on his.

 

And no matter what Junhui says about him, Jihoon can’t say that he minds. 

 

  
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

 

 

The next morning rouses Jihoon via Wonwoo’s alarm that blares at a time too early for him to care about. Nevertheless, he stirs, if only to roll over again and pull his blankets tighter around him, not even noticing the fact that he is not in the same place he fell asleep and that if he is in his own bed, Seungcheol is not beside him. 

 

What he does notice is the little piece of paper that falls off his shoulder and onto his face as he rolls over. Peeling his eyes open, he squints at the small message written on it, signed with two very familiar names.

 

_A little birdy told us you need help on your stage presence. It seems you’ve befriended the right people to help!! Tell us if you’re interested, ‘Hoonie. ;]_

_Soonyoung and Mingyu_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's the long coming update! finally getting into a more (?) structured idea for the au. 
> 
> are there any funky fun camp activities anyone wants to see the bois bonding over in particular? happy to hear ideas to mull over for the next month or two...
> 
> 2019 is almost over ! here's to a better decade, i hope.

**Author's Note:**

> uhm hi hello i made a beautiful mess of a new multichapter fic and i'm proud of it ^-^


End file.
